Artwork
The Sickly Cryptogam
The Sickly Cryptogam is a print by the Impressionist artist Charles Meryon. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Sickly Cryptogam is a unique 1860 etching by French artist Charles Meryon, deviating from his typical architectural and urban themes. The work features a curved, abstract shape resembling an ailing plant or fungus, rendered in black with textured details against a nuanced, shaded background.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, as indicated by the title, appears to be a diseased cryptogam (a plant that reproduces via spores, such as a fern or moss). The melancholic depiction may reflect Meryon's personal perspective, characteristic of his oeuvre's sometimes somber tone.
Technique & Style
Executed in etching, the piece showcases Meryon's skill in capturing texture and depth through black ink and varied background shading, despite his colour blindness. The abstract, curvilinear form diverges from his more representational Parisian scenes.
History & Provenance
Created in 1860, The Sickly Cryptogam is part of Meryon's 19th-century etching output. Specific provenance details (ownership history) are not provided in the available information.
Context
While Meryon's work is distinct from the Impressionist movement (which emphasized light and colour), his deviation into abstract, thematic subjects in The Sickly Cryptogam offers a fascinating contrast to his and his contemporaries' more typical focuses.
Legacy
The Sickly Cryptogam contributes to Meryon's legacy as a versatile etcher, highlighting his ability to explore beyond his signature Gothic Parisian vistas. Its uniqueness within his corpus continues to interest scholars and viewers alike.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Meryon (sometimes Méryon, 23 November 1821 – 14 February 1868) was a French artist who worked almost entirely in etching, as he had colour blindness.
Il y eut peut-etre une vision premiere essayee dans la fleur (There was perhaps a first vision attempted in the flower)
Unknown subject (Let Him look up into the Heaven and laugh in the bright air)
The Mermaid
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Unknown subject (Let Him look up into the Heaven and laugh in the bright air)
La sirene sortit des flots vetue de dards (The Siren clothed in barbs, emerged from the waves
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Le malingre cryptogame (The Sickly Cryptogam)