1890
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Unloading, Canal St. Martin (Les dechargeurs de platre, Canal Saint-Martin) is a 1890 ink by Auguste Lepère, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white sketch shows a busy canal scene. Workers unload heavy sacks from a barge onto the dock. In the background, a row of buildings lines the water, with people walking along the street. The artist used lots of fine lines to show texture, like the ripples in the water and the folds in the workers’ clothes. The signature in the corner reads "Lepère," and the name "Canal St. Martin" is written at the bottom. This suggests the scene is from a real Parisian canal, where workers moved goods like plaster by hand. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists create detailed prints like this.
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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