The Seine near the Austerlitz Bridge

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the National Gallery of, where Auguste Lepère's *The Seine near the Austitz Bridge* (1888) captures the timeless allure of Paris. This wood engraving depicts the gentle curve of the Seine River beneath the historic Austerlitz Bridge, alassical span named after Napoleon's 5 victory and a vital link in the city's bustling transport network. Created during the Belle Époque, when Paris transforming into a modern metropolis, Lepère's evokes the serene yet vibrant daily life along the riverbanks, blending urban energy with natural flow. Lepère, a leading French wood engraver of the late 19th century, mastered the technique of engraving on the end-grain of boxwood to produce exquisitely fine lines and textures. Printed in black ink on delicate tissue paper—likely thin Japan paper for its translucency and detail retention—this medium allowed for rich tonal contrasts that mimic the play of light on water. Wood engraving, once primarily for book illustration, reached artistic heights in Lepère's hands, rivaling etching in precision and contributing to the revival of original prints as collectible art. Measuring just 16.9 x 26.7 cm, this intimate work from the René Huyghe Collection invites close viewing, revealing Lepère's skill in rendering atmospheric depth. It reminds us how 19th-century artists like him documented Paris's evolving landscape, preserving moments of beauty amid rapid change.

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...