Le Petit Pont

About this artwork

Afkomstig uit album met titel Eaux-Fortes par Meryon. Het album bevatte een titelblad en twaalf prenten op opzetvellen welke bij elkaar waren gebracht door het Ministère de l'intérieur te Parijs op voorspraak van Jules Niels. Vanwege de kwetsbaarheid van de prenten zijn ze uit het album gehaald, de oude band met lege opzetvellen wordt in de collectie van het RMA bewaard. Meryon was van plan om een serie stadsgezichten van Parijs in een album uit te geven. De serie losse prenten staat bekend onde...

Art Historical Context

**Le Petit Pont** is a captivating etching by Charles Meryon created in 1850 and measuring 257 × 188 mm. This print captures an intimate view of Paris's historic Petit Pont bridge spanning the Seine, part oferyon's renowned series *Eaux-Fortes sur*. A master etcher of the 19th century, Meryon documented the city's medieval architecture with meticulous detail and atmospheric depth, preserving vanishing landmarks just before Baron Haussmann's transformative renovations. His Romantic realist style blends precision with evocative mood, making his works precursors to later Impressionist urban scenes. This particular impression hails from a rare album titled *Eaux-Fortes par Meryon*, assembled by Paris's Ministère de l'Intérieur at the behest of Jules Niels. It included a title page and twelve prints on protective mount sheets, showcasing Meryon's ambition to publish a comprehensive album of Parisian vistas. Due to the etchings' fragility, the prints were later separated, with the empty binding preserved in the RMA collection—a testament to their enduring value. Etching, Meryon's favored medium, involves incising lines into a metal plate with acid, allowing for rich tonal contrasts and intricate textures that bring the bustling river scene to life. Printed likely on special request for the ministry, *Le Petit Pont* highlights Meryon's innovative approach to print series, blending artistry with documentary zeal (De Groot 1991, pp. 23–24). A window into old Paris, it invites visitors to ponder the city's timeless allure.

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...