Etchings of Paris: The Mortuary

One of the greatest French etchers and an important figure in the mid-19th-century etching revival, Meryon devoted himself exclusively to drawing and printmaking by the age of 28. Continually experimenting to achieve the desired nuances of light and shadow, he developed his compositions through numerous states and printed on a variety of papers, favoring pale green for some of his most beautiful impressions. Meryon specialized in views of Paris, often recording older areas, like the morgue building dating from 1568, soon to disappear with the modernization of the city.

A vertically oriented etching in dark ink depicts people with light skin tones in a dense city scene. In the center, a thick plume of smoke drifts across multi-story buildings. Below, several figures lean over a high stone wall. In the lower ground, two figures carry a stretcher across a quay. Along the bottom, a dark boat sits on the water. High-contrast light and shadow and fine lines define textures throughout the architectural landscape.

Etchings of Paris: The Mortuary

1854

Charles Meryon

(French, 1821–1868)

France, 19th century

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