American Quarries, near Paris (Carrieres d'Amerique, pres Paris)

Art Historical Context

Auguste Lepère's *American Quarries, near Paris (Carrières d'Amérique, près Paris)*, created in 1898, the industrious landscapes on the outskirts of the French capital through the meticulous medium of etching. As a master printmaker of the late 19th century, Lep (1849–1918) was renowned for his depictions of Parisian life, architecture, and working environments, often blending Realism with a keen eye for texture and light. This print, housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, exemplifies his skill in portraying the gritty reality of quarrying operations—likely referencing s...

About the Artist

Auguste Lepère · 1849–1918

Auguste-Louis Lepère (1849–1918), son of the sculptor François Lepère, was born in Paris on November 30, 1849, into an artistic family that shaped his early path. At age thirteen, he apprenticed in the Paris studio of the English wood engraver Joseph Burn Smeeton, honing his skills in wood engraving until 1867. He furthered his training with drawing classes under Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran at the...