Rébus: "Béranger ne fut véritablement fort, car il n'eut jamais la clef des champs" (Rebus: "Beranger was not really strong, for he never had the key of the fields")

1863

Charles Meryon

Associated Names
Charles Meryon

Artist, French, 1821 - 1868

Pierron, French, active 1849-1866

Printer

This is a drawing of various objects and scenes along with some text. The central elements of the drawing include a bird standing on a patch of ground and a column of poetry comparing the bird to an influential figure. Below that, several sketched images are arranged in a vertical sequence, including wooden posts, a table set with a cloth bearing the text "RESTAURATEUR EN RENOM DU PALAIS ROYAL," and a star-shaped fort labeled "PAYS DES POULARDS." A barrel with the label "PIÈCE DE SALAISON," a solitary figure next to a tree, and various contraptions also populate the image. The bottom portion of the drawing contains a set of arrangements reminiscent of a telescope or a surveying tool alongside a list mentioning various types of chants, including "CHANTS RUSTIQUES ET MARITIMES" and "MARSEILLAISE." The names "VIRGILE" and "HOMERE" are inscribed.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching on D&C Blauw paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 29.1 × 12.5 cm (11 7/16 × 4 15/16 in.)
    plate (cut to platemark): 30.9 × 15.4 cm (12 3/16 × 6 1/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.6189

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Schneiderman 1990, no. 90, State iv/v

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Jules Niel [19th century], Paris; Alphonse Wyatt Thibaudeau [1840-1893], London (Lugt 2412); Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge [1845-1924], Glasgow, (Lugt 394); Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA; gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

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.

Inscriptions

"C.M. fecit 1863" lower left composition, in plate. "Chez Rochoux Quai de l'Horage, 19" lower center composition, in plate. "Imp. Pierron r. Montfaucon, 1" lower right composition, in plate. "15 Fev / Monsier Niel / Je [illeg.] C. Meryon" center left composition, black ink, artist's hand. "En...appelle le" upper center composition, in plate. "CHANTS / RUSTIQUES et MARITIMES. / CHANTS NATIONAUX, CHANTS RELIGIEUX. / CHANTS GUERRIERS. / MARSEILLAISE.... / CHANTS POPULAIRES, ÉLYSEENS." lower center composition, in plate. "VIRGILE" lower left composition, in plate. "HOMERE" lower right composition, in plate.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).

Watermarks

"[D&]C BLAUW"

Wikidata ID

Q65019231

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