Artwork
La petite pompe, Paris (The Notre Dame Pump, small plate)
La petite pompe, Paris (The Notre Dame Pump, small plate) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Charles Meryon. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1854, this small etching on laid paper presents a compact, decorative composition centered on a poetic inscription.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:"Meryon. / C.M. f. Imp. R. Ne St. Etienne-du-Mont 26." lower center margin, in plate, artist's hand. "MDCC LIV." lower composition, in plate, artist's hand. "C'en est fait, / O forfait! / Pauve Pompe, / Sans pompe, / Il faut mourir! / Mais pour amoindrir, / Cet arrêt inique, / Par un tour bachique, / Que ne pompes-tu, / En impromptu. / Au lieu d'eau claire, / Qu'on n'aime guère, / Du vin, Bien fin?" center composition, in plate, artist's hand. "P" center left composition, in plate, artist's hand. ND" center right composition, in plate, artist's hand. "C. Meryon" lower left margin, graphite, artist's hand. "La Petite Pompe" lower center margin, graphite, artist's hand. "B 44" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "W. 16. D.32II" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "c4266" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. "S.H / PXVI" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. "2er etat avec [illeg.] de Meryon" verso, lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "53a" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "From the / (Haden coll) verso, lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand.
- Markings
- Marked:"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, stamped twice, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).
About this work
Overview
Created in 1854, this small etching on laid paper presents a compact, decorative composition centered on a poetic inscription. The surrounding frame is richly ornamented with motifs such as a serpentine line and a rope‑like pattern, while a modest building with a tower emerges from a cluster of grasses at the lower edge.
Subject & Meaning
The central verse, written in French, playfully celebrates a city pump, lending the work a light‑hearted, almost satirical tone. By juxtaposing the poem with a modest urban scene, the artist invites viewers to consider everyday Parisian infrastructure as a subject worthy of artistic attention.
Technique & Style
Executed entirely in etching, the piece reflects the artist’s reliance on monochrome processes, a choice influenced by his colour‑blindness. The use of laid paper contributes a subtle texture that enhances the fine line work and the delicate shading of the foliage and architectural details.
Context
Part of a broader series of Paris views, the work exemplifies the creator’s Gothic‑inflected vision of the capital. Though best known for more expansive cityscapes, this intimate plate demonstrates his capacity to render small‑scale subjects with the same meticulous craftsmanship that earned him recognition as a leading French etcher of the nineteenth century.
Own this work as a print
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.
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