The Rouen Tower Drawing

A monumental pen and ink architectural drawing on parchment measuring 11 feet tall was recently purchased by the MFAH. Unsigned and undocumented, it is probably a competition drawing from the early 16^th century produced in the workshops of Rouen where numerous building projects were underway. French drawings of this type are exceeding rare and the Rouen drawing provides us the opportunity to examine the design methods, workshop procedures, and architectural competitions for major building projects at the end of the Gothic period.