Artwork
Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Genevieve, Paris
Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Genevieve, Paris is an ink print by Auguste Louis Lepère. It dates from 1906 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1906, Rue de la Montagne‑Sainte‑Genevieve, Paris is a print that combines etching, aquatint and possibly drypoint.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1906, Rue de la Montagne‑Sainte‑Genevieve, Paris is a print that combines etching, aquatint and possibly drypoint. French artist Auguste Lepère, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, rendered a quiet Parisian street scene with a distinctive play of light on wet cobblestones and a distant clock tower that anchors the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a narrow, rain‑slicked thoroughfare flanked by aged façades. Figures, a woman in a dark coat guiding a horse, passersby near doorways, a dog at rest, populate the space, suggesting everyday urban life while the overall atmosphere remains subdued, emphasizing the stillness of a damp evening in the city.
Technique & Style
Lepère employed fine, acid‑etched lines to delineate architectural texture and the reflective surface of the street. Aquatint adds tonal depth, rendering the muted sky and wet pavement, while the possible use of drypoint contributes subtle, velvety shadows that enhance the sense of moisture and quiet ambience.
History & Provenance
Auguste Lepère (1849‑1918) was a French painter and printmaker noted for revitalising wood engraving across Europe. This work, produced toward the end of his career, reflects his mastery of multiple intaglio processes and his interest in documenting contemporary Parisian vistas.
Context
The early 1900s saw Paris undergoing rapid modernization, yet Lepère’s choice of a modest, rain‑soaked street highlights a lingering attachment to the city’s historic quarters. The clock tower, likely a recognizable landmark, anchors the scene within a specific urban geography while the overall composition aligns with the period’s realist tendencies in printmaking.
Own this work as a print
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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