New Etchings of Paris – by Rodney Moss

Paris Plus Plus has great pleasure in presenting the first three etchings of sketches of Paris by well-known Australian architect-turned-artist, Rodney Moss. Rodney has generously offered to donate all profit from the sale of Notre Dame from the Seine to the Notre Dame Restoration Fund, established by the French Government.  We are delighted and honoured to participate with Rodney in this cause that is dear to our hearts.

If you would like to contribute to the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral by purchasing one of Rodney’s etchings, go to the STORE link on the top right-hand corner of this Blog page.  All profits from the sale of the Notre Dame from the Seine etching will be donated to the Cathedral’s restoration fund

We caught up with Rodney quite by chance in Paris in May 2018, during his busy and productive exploration of locations selected by the famous Australian artist, Brett Whiteley while on a scholarship in the City of Light in 1960.  We think that Rodney has captured the same essence of the city that so fascinated Whiteley.

The three etchings shown here are part of a larger set of sketches that explore the urbanity and structure of Paris and its relationship to the river.

The etching, Notre Dame from the Seine, was done from the same vantage point as Brett Whiteley’s famous sketch of the Cathedral.  With the keen observation of an architect’s eye, it captures the magnificence of the cathedral and its powerful relationship and connection to the Seine and the city beyond.

Paris Plus Plus was thrilled when Rodney took up our suggestion to prepare these etchings from his sketches, which led him to work with the acclaimed print maker Basil Hall.

It is ironic that the day the first etchings were being pressed was 15 April 2019, the day that fire tragically engulfed Notre Dame.

The three limited edition Rodney Moss etchings printed by master printmaker Basil Hall Editions, Braidwood, are:

• Notre Dame from the Seine, edition size 40
• Seine, edition size 20
• Sacre Coeur, edition size 20

• Printed in July 2019, each print has an image size of 29.50mm x 21mm.
• Paper size 43mm x 35.50mm; printed on Hahnemuhle, 300 gsa.
• The Charbonnel ink used was purchased from an art supplier on the Left Bank, near Notre Dame.
• The framed edition of the etchings uses a Jarrah frame with museum-quality Archival Perspex.

Price of Etchings :

• Unframed       AUD 275.00 ea + Shipping
• Framed           AUD 450.00 ea + Shipping

If you would like to buy one of Rodney’s etchings, please go to this Blog’s STORE, top right on this Blog page.

Rodney Moss was one of that fortunate generation of students who studied under some of Australia’s best architects as well as the multi-talented George Molnar who was also one of the best-loved, most perceptive cartoonists of the day.

As Rodney says, “my current journey is to harness all this experience together with 40 years of architectural practice and use it as a foundation to explore self expression through drawing and painting.  My interest is in space, form, composition and light, rather than a detailed account of the subject.  The aim is to draw and paint intuitively, where the act of drawing or painting is the tool for exploring the subject.  It is a similar process to designing a building where the act of drawing becomes the tool for exploring the idea.”

After graduating from the University of New South Wales, Rodney honed his architectural skills in London, married Christina and travelled extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East, the (former) Soviet Union and India—and never without a sketch pad to record their exploration of extraordinary sights and cultures.

A stint in Bathurst working on the Bathurst Orange growth centre project was followed by another sojourn in the UK working on the Peterborough Development Corporation.  One of the attractions with Peterborough is its proximity to Oxford, with its antiquities and great architectural heritage.

Upon the family’s return to Australia, Rodney joined the National Capital Development Corporation in Canberra—an exciting time working with the best and brightest architects and planners in the country, to plan and develop the National Capital.

In due course, Rodney, with  Graham Humphries, was offered the opportunity to head the Canberra office of the acclaimed architect Philip Cox.  The studio won many industry awards, including six Canberra medallions, and now has a staff of 50 architects.  At the same time, Rodney became a Professorial Fellow and Head of the School of Architecture at Canberra University.  A hectic time indeed!

During his career, Rodney has always been interested and informed by the history and development of cities.  He has used drawing as a way to explore the design of everything from a city to a single house or a construction detail.  His art is informed by using the pen or brush as a tool to explore these subjects.

Rodney’s talent as an artist has been recognised with a number of important exhibitions:

• Joint Exhibition – Coast to Coast – with Phillip Cox, Cox Gallery Kingston, ACT
• Group exhibition – Bungle Bungles – Cox Gallery Kingston, ACT
• Group exhibition – Darjeeling Landscapes – Cedar Inn Gallery, Darjeeling
• Group exhibition – Darjeeling Landscapes – Cox Gallery Kingston, ACT
• Group exhibition – Mollymook Summer – Barton Art Box Gallery, ACT
• Group exhibition – After Capertee – M16 Gallery Griffith, ACT

By the time the fire in Notre Dame was extinguished, the Cathedral’s spire and most of its roof had been destroyed and its upper walls severely damaged.  Fortunately, widespread damage to the interior was prevented by the stone vaulted ceiling, which largely prevented the fire spreading as the burning roof collapsed.

Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety early in the emergency, but others suffered some smoke damage, and some exterior art was damaged or destroyed. The cathedral’s altar, two pipe organs and its three 13th-century rose windows suffered little to no damage.

However, the lead jointing in some of the 19th-century stained-glass windows melted.  Fortunately, the three major rose windows, dating to the 13th century, were undamaged.

 

As the world reeled in horror, President Emmanuel Macron pledged to restore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cathedral to its former glory, and launched a worldwide fundraising campaign, to which the profits generated by the sale of Notre Dame from the Seine will contribute.

Paris Plus Plus has a deep, personal attachment to Notre Dame, stretching back over 45 years, and have revisited Paris on several occasions since the fire.  We have taken great heart from the extraordinary energy and sense of urgency being harnessed by contributions by the world’s conservation experts and artisans.

It is our pleasure to use the www.parisplusplus.com travel blog and instagram platforms to launch Rodney’s etchings and their contribution to the conservation and restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral.

If you would like to purchase one of Rodney’s etchings, go to the STORE link on the top right-hand corner of this Blog page.  All profits from the sale of the Notre Dame from the Seine etching will be donated to the Cathedral’s restoration fund