Saint Servan

Art Historical Context

Auguste Lepère (1849–1918), a prominent French illustrator and engraver, captured the charm of Saint-Servan historic port district in Brittany—in this delicate 1917 graphite drawing. late in his career amid the backdrop of World War I the work reflects Lepère's passion for documenting French landscapes and architecture with meticulous detail. Known for his style and mastery of printmaking techniques like wood engraving Lepère often sketched en air, translating everyday scenes into evocative studies bridged 19th-centuryism and early modern sensibilities. Rendered in graphite on (17.8 x 22.7 cm), this drawing showcases the medium's versatility for subtle tonal gradations and fine lines, ideal for preliminary compositions or standalone works. Graphite allowed Lepère to achieve a luminous quality, emphasizing light and texture in coastal motifs typical of his Brittany travels. Its modest scale invites intimate viewing, highlighting his skill in evoking atmosphere without color. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection—a treasure trove of prints and drawings gifted by collector Lessing J. Rosenwald—this piece exemplifies Lepère's enduring influence on French graphic arts. Visitors will appreciate its quiet poetry, a window into early 20th-century France preserved for posterity.

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...