La morgue, Paris (The Mortuary)

1854

Charles Meryon

Associated Names
Charles Meryon

Artist, French, 1821 - 1868

The image depicts an urban scene from a slightly elevated point of view. The horizon line is not distinctly visible as the view is framed by densely packed buildings. Smoke rises from a couple of chimneys. The style appears to be an etching, with fine lines capturing architectural textures. The color palette is mostly monochrome. Closest to us, a boat is docked, partially covered by shading or shadows, with people depicted mid-movement on the quay. Beyond, a line of buildings creates a layered effect.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 21.2 × 18.9 cm (8 3/8 × 7 7/16 in.)
    plate: 23 × 20.5 cm (9 1/16 × 8 1/16 in.)
    sheet (irreg.): 35.9 × 26.4 cm (14 1/8 × 10 3/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.6172

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Schneiderman 1990, no. 42, State iii/vii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Henry Studdy Theobald [1847-1934], London; Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA; gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1931

  • Five Centuries of Print Making, The Print Club of Philadelphia, 1931, no. 53, repro.

1933

  • An Exhibition of Prints from the Collection of Lessing J. Rosenwald, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 1933, no. 169.

1945

  • Prints from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, John Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis, IN, 1945, no. 80.

1953

  • The Collector's Taste, Andrew Dickinson White Art Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 1953-1954.

2009

  • The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; NGA; Smart Museum of Art, Chicago, 2009 - 2010

Bibliography

1924

  • Delteil, Loys and Harold J.L. Wright. Catalogue raisonne of the Etchings of Charles Meryon. New York: Winfred Porter Truesdell, 1924.

1990

  • Schneiderman, Richard S. The Catalogue Raisonne of the Prints by Charles Meryon. London: Garton & Co., 1990.

1992

  • Beck, Hubert. Edward Hopper. Hamburg, 1992: p. 35.

Inscriptions

"à Monsieur Gustave Salicis / son bien dévoué / C. Meryon" lower right margin, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated. "43" verso, lower center sheet, graphite, unknown hand.

Wikidata ID

Q65019217

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