Etchings of Paris: Le Petit Pont
1850
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1850
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
Etchings of Paris: Le Petit Pont is a 1850 by Charles Meryon, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a Paris bridge packed with buildings. The left side has tall, narrow houses stacked closely together, their windows and balconies crammed into the space. On the right, a big stone archway leads to a river where a small boat floats. In the background, two grand towers loom over the scene. The artist focused on the contrast between the cramped, everyday life on the bridge and the grand, empty towers behind it. This print was made in 1850, capturing a moment in Paris before photography became common. Next, check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create depth in art.
