high view over Paris with falling snow and snow on rooftops; Notre Dame in URQ; carriages, horses and people of bridge at left; boat on Seine at center; snow-covered roofs in foreground; black birds at left

Paris in the Snow, Viewed from the Tower of Saint-Gervais, 1890

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Auguste Lepère climbed the tower of St. Gervais church to capture this vast, wintry view of Paris. To the right is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, whose spire and roof recently burned. The cathedral dominates Île de la Cité (Island of the City), the oldest section of Paris. At left is a bridge leading to Paris’s other island, Île-St.-Louis. The large dome on the horizon is the Panthéon. Originally built as a church, it is now a mausoleum where famous French citizens are buried.

One of Lepère’s greatest contributions to art was the revival of woodcut printmaking as a fine art. Specifically, he was an extraordinary skilled wood-engraver, which involves carving very fine lines on blocks of dense, hard wood. Soon he would free himself to make broader, looser marks on softer, less-demanding wood, as seen in other prints in this exhibition.

Details
Title
Paris in the Snow, Viewed from the Tower of Saint-Gervais
Artist Life
Paris 1849–Domme, Dordogne 1918
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2013.35.586
Provenance
[Richard Reed Armstrong Fine Art, Chicago, until 1996; sold in April for NKOO, to Drake]; Harry Drake, St. Paul (1996-d. 2012; bequeathed to MIA)
Catalogue Raisonne
Lotz-Brissonneau 230
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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high view over Paris with falling snow and snow on rooftops; Notre Dame in URQ; carriages, horses and people of bridge at left; boat on Seine at center; snow-covered roofs in foreground; black birds at left