Charles Meryon (Paris, 1821 - 1868, Charenton-le-Pont)
Chevrier's Cold-Bath Establishment [Bain-froid Chevrier, dit de l'École], 1864
Etching, 27 x 37 cm (10 5/8 x 14 9/16 in.)
This etching depicts a landscape of Paris, looking across the Seine River. On the left, the side of the darkly shaded bridge stands tall, leading the eyes back to the sunlit buildings across the river below. Among the buildings is a monument of a person on a horse in the center, with buildings behind on either side. Below, the river flows from left to right, expanding in width in the foreground and consuming the bottom center of the image. Here, there is a dock where several people walk along in small groups. Docked on the right in the river are a few canoe-like boats, two carrying a person each. Enclosing the river on the right, a gated walkway leads up to an ornately rounded building where someone looks down at the dock from their window balcony. Behind this building and closer to the bridge is a wide, plain building with few windows topped with a sign that reads “Bain Froid Chevrier.” The sign stands in front of a large bushel of trees. The top third of the image is a light sky where clouds roll and birds fly high above a flag. The etching has a thin white edge around each side, with the bottom border containing the name of the artwork, as well as the written text “Pierron Imp Paris”.
Vatichino
Commentary
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