A Cork Model of the Porte Saint-André, Autun

Contemporary example after Richard Du Bourg (c.1807)

A cork architectural model of the Porte Saint-André at Autun, one of the best preserved Roman city gates in France. The model follows the celebrated example made around 1807 by the English cork modeller Richard Du Bourg, whose architectural models of classical monuments were widely exhibited in London in the early nineteenth century.

Constructed from carefully carved natural Portuguese cork and mounted on a sand-textured base, the model captures the arcaded elevations and weathered masonry of the ancient monument with remarkable sensitivity. The upper tier of arches supported by slender columns rises above the large Roman ground-level arcades, faithfully reflecting the distinctive two-storey façade of the original gate.

Du Bourg’s models were admired by architects, antiquarians and collectors interested in classical architecture. Upon his retirement in 1819, the modeller auctioned his works from his home in Lower Grosvenor Street, London. The sale catalogue recorded several monuments including the Porte Saint-André at Autun. Three of these models were later recorded at Ickworth House, where they were photographed in 1925.

Cork models of classical monuments became closely associated with the culture of the Grand Tour, prized for their ability to evoke the texture and colour of ancient ruins. The present model follows Du Bourg’s celebrated interpretation of the monument and reflects the enduring appeal of these architectural objects among collectors of Grand Tour material and antiquarian curiosities.