Artwork
Le Pont Saint-Michel
Le Pont Saint-Michel 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. Created in 1890 by French artist Auguste Louis Lepère, *Le Pont Saint‑Michel* is a print that captures a bustling Parisian bridge scene.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1890 by French artist Auguste Louis Lepère, *Le Pont Saint‑Michel* is a print that captures a bustling Parisian bridge scene. The composition presents the stone bridge spanning the Seine, crowded with pedestrians, horse‑drawn vehicles, and modest river traffic, while flanked by a spired church and a clock‑topped tower.
Subject & Meaning
The image records a moment of everyday urban life, emphasizing the flow of people and transport across the historic bridge. By foregrounding ordinary activity rather than grand architecture, Lepère highlights the vitality of the city’s public spaces during the late nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Executed in wood engraving, the work reflects Lepère’s contribution to the medium’s revival in Europe. The lines are deliberately loose and sketch‑like, conveying movement and atmosphere with minimal detail, a method that parallels contemporary Impressionist concerns with immediacy and the fleeting effects of light.
History & Provenance
Lepère, known both as a painter and an etcher, produced this print during a period of renewed interest in traditional printmaking processes. While the original plate’s ownership history is not extensively documented, the work has been included in several collections that focus on late‑nineteenth‑century French graphic art.
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.
