Artwork
La Carrière de grès
La Carrière de grès is a print by the Impressionist artist Auguste Lepère. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1890 by French artist Auguste Louis Lepère, *La Carrière de grès* is a black‑and‑white print that depicts a stone quarry.
Created in 1890 by French artist Auguste Louis Lepère, *La Carrière de grès* is a black‑and‑white print that depicts a stone quarry. The composition centers on a steep, rocky slope where laborers are engaged in extracting material, with a massive boulder dominating the right side and scattered tools and smaller stones across the foreground. In the distance a modest village and a thin line of trees frame the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The image records the physical demands of quarry work, emphasizing the interaction between human effort and the unforgiving landscape. By presenting the workers amid the jagged terrain, Lepère draws attention to the everyday toil of rural laborers, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between industry and environment without romanticizing the activity.
Technique & Style
Lepère employed wood engraving, a medium he helped revive in late‑19th‑century Europe. The print’s fine line work captures the gritty texture of stone and the weight of the boulder, while the stark contrasts of black and white reinforce the harshness of the setting. The straightforward, unembellished representation aligns with Realist principles that favored truthful depictions of ordinary life.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the print has been held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Lepère’s reputation as a leading figure in the resurgence of wood engraving contributed to the work’s acquisition by the museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 19th‑century French prints.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louis-Auguste Lepère (30 November 1849 – 20 November 1918) was a French painter and etcher. Lepère is also considered a leader in the creative revival of wood engraving in Europe.
Landscape with Two Trees (Paysage aux deux Arbres)
Le Peintres
The Footbridge (La Passerelle)
Landscape (with buildings)
Tumulus gaulois
Landscape (Paysage)
A Valley in Burgundy
La Ravine en juin
The Giant Wheel
A Valley in Burgundy (Une Vallée en Bourgogne)
The Return to the Farm (Le Retour à la Ferme)
Une loge de carrier