1860
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Le malingre cryptogame (The Sickly Cryptogam) is a 1860 ink by Charles Meryon, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a single, tangled plant with long, thin stems and a loose coil at the top. The lines are dark and wavy, almost like a sketch. The background is plain, letting the plant stand out. The artist used a method called etching to create this print. The lines are rough but controlled, giving the plant a wild, untamed look. Look up etching to see how artists like this made prints before photography.
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.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
