La Loi Solaire
19th century
Medium
Etching
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
Accession Number
17.78.53
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**La Loi Solaire** by Charles Mon is a captivating 19th-century etching exemplifies the artist's mastery of printmaking during a golden age of French graphic arts. Meryon (1821–1868), often hailed as one of the greatest etchers of his time, rose to prominence with his intricate depictions of Paris, blending meticulous architectural detail with a romantic, almost visionary quality. Created amid the Haussmann-era transformations of the city, this work reflects the era's blend of realism and imagination, acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1917. Et...
About the Artist
Charles Meryon · 1821–1868
Charles Meryon, born on November 23, 1821, in Paris, was the illegitimate son of English physician Dr. Charles Lewis Meryon and dancer Pierre-Narcisse Chaspoux (stage name Narcisse Gentil) at the Paris Opéra. His half-sister Fanny, from his mother's prior relationship with Viscount Lowther, remained in contact after their mother's death in 1838. Raised partly outside Paris before attending Pension...