François-Édouard Bertin

François-Édouard Bertin was an artist whose documented professional activity spanned the late eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries, operating primarily between 1797 and 1852. Although detailed biographical data regarding his career trajectory is limited, his output is represented in significant American institutional collections, confirming his importance as a documentarian of European landscapes.

The artist’s known work emphasizes drawing and printmaking, with five pieces represented in the holdings of the National Gallery of Art. This preserved material comprises four drawings and one print, offering valuable insight into Bertin’s travel and draftsmanship. His subject matter is geographically specific, covering sites in both France and Italy.

Notable works held in the collection include the architectural study House with a Portico at Ermenonville and the French landscape Vallée de Lanterbrunen. Bertin’s keen interest in topography is particularly clear in his Italian scenes, such as the drawing Sorrento and the detailed double-sided sheet featuring A Terrace and Garden on Capri [recto] alongside View up a Street in Sorrento [verso]. These surviving François-Édouard Bertin prints and drawings serve as primary examples for the study of 19th-century topographical art. Due to the era of his activity, the majority of Bertin’s established works are now available in the public domain, allowing for their reproduction as museum-quality resources and documentation.