Artwork
St. Julien le Pauvre: Le Portail
St. Julien le Pauvre: Le Portail is a print by the Impressionist artist Auguste Louis Lepère. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. St.
- Accession no.
- 1921.1336
- Credit line
- Gift of Leonard C. Hanna Jr.
About this work
Overview
St. Julien le Pauvre: Le Portail, a 1894 print by French artist Auguste Louis Lepère, depicts a scene of everyday life amidst decay. The work is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a crumbling, possibly ecclesiastical building with a partially collapsed wall. Figures engage in mundane activities amidst rubble: two women forage through debris, one with a basket and the other near a barrel, while a man stands by a doorway topped with a clock. The scene emphasizes the quotidian in a neglected urban environment.
Technique & Style
While specific techniques used in St. Julien le Pauvre: Le Portail are not detailed here, Lepère's known expertise in wood engraving suggests a likely medium. The piece aligns with Realist tendencies, focusing on honest, unromanticized portrayals of everyday life in deteriorating conditions.
History & Provenance
Created in 1894 by Auguste Louis Lepère, a key figure in Europe's wood engraving revival, the print is now held in The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection.
Context
The work reflects Lepère's interest in capturing the realities of urban decline and the lives of ordinary people, contrasting with more idealized or affluent subjects common in other artistic movements of the time.
Legacy
As part of Lepère's oeuvre, St. Julien le Pauvre: Le Portail contributes to the broader legacy of Realism and the resurgence of wood engraving in late 19th-century Europe, though its specific impact or influence is not elaborated here.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louis-Auguste Lepère (30 November 1849 – 20 November 1918) was a French painter and etcher. Lepère is also considered a leader in the creative revival of wood engraving in Europe.
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