Urban

This is volume one of a three volume first edition series written and illustrated by Georges-Louis Le Rouge that describe monuments, buildings, and other ‘curiosities’ in and around Paris, Versailles, Marly, Vincennes, and Saint Cloud. They were published in 1771. This volume has 19 exquisite drawings prefacing different chapters. The combined written and visual portrayals provide a wealth of cultural information and help the reader reconstruct the architectural designs of the time.

Ronald Cohen, architect and artist, was born in South Africa and later moved to London where he succeeded as an interior designer. On holidays, he traveled and painted widely in Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, always drawn to different varieties of architecture.  “But then I discovered Cape Town,” he wrote, “and there I found absolutely everything to delight my senses—the wonderful clarity of the light, the expansive golden beaches, the granite rocks and the sparkling sea . . .