Dufour block printed the Ports of France series in 1810 as a set of 30 lengths depicting scenes from various port cities of France: Bourdeaux, Marseilles, Antibes, and Bayonne. The fine detail in this hand blocked scenic wallpaper is exceptional, including minute details like the ropes on the ships and the sails.

The scene of the Port of Bayonne, France was inspired by Jacques Phillippe Lebas’ etching “View of the City and Port of Bayonne” (1760-64), which was based on a series of paintings by the French artist Claude-Joseph Vernet. The view of the port is taken from from the alley of Bouflers, near the door of Mousserole, in Bayonne.

The barges near the shore are Tilholes on the Adour River, and the covered boat to the left of the Pont du Saint-Esprit is a Chalibardon. A landfill Gabare or Halo, a flat boat used in the Nive, is mated to the Spanish Galleon, the multi-decked sailing ship anchored in the port.

The man pulling his goat to the barge is inspired by another Vernet painting. He wears a barret, a wool hat which would become the Basque beret.

Since they were never removed properly from their original location, they required extensive restoration. Our team specializes in the removal of scenic wallpapers in order to preserve them properly. The unrestored panels were purchased in Alexandria, VA. Interestingly, Alexandria had a wallpaper dealer named Ephraim Gilman in the early 19th century that sold Dufour scenic wallpapers.

The panels, along with some panels of scenes from Bordeaux and Antibes, were found in the attic of a local architect when he passed away. They had likely been removed from a local house in the 1950’s and then kept in the attic until they were found. A bill of records from 1819 shows that Ephraim Gilman had sold the panels for $35 per set.

The panels were removed from the old frames and the old backing materials were painstakingly removed from the delicate back of the Dufour paper. Next, boards were prepared to receive the antique panels. Each panel was lined with archival materials and then the Dufour paper was applied.

After cleaning and installation on panels, prior to restoration

Next, our artist started the extensive restoration process of cleaning and in-painting areas of lost paint to restore the panels. Much of the lost detail emerged during the restoration, and the city scene and the details of the ships and boats became apparent. The clouds, which Dufour was famous for, also emerged as a major and dramatic element in the scene.