1893
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Gobelins Quarter (Le quartier des Gobelins) is a 1893 ink by Auguste Lepère, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a busy city street packed with cramped buildings and chimneys puffing smoke. Two men walk down the steps in the foreground—one carrying a bucket, the other a long pole. Rooftops crowd together, and narrow alleys twist between them. The drawing is all in black and white, with quick, sketchy lines that leave some areas fuzzy. The artist focused on everyday life in a working-class neighborhood, where smoke and clutter fill the air. This style was common in late 19th-century France, where artists aimed to capture real scenes, not just idealized ones. Next, look up etching to see how this technique works.
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.
See the richer artist page
