Artwork
Les Déchargeurs de Plâtre
Les Déchargeurs de Plâtre is a print by the Impressionist artist Auguste Lepère. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1894 by French painter and printmaker Auguste‑Louis Lepère, *Les Déchargeurs de Plâtre* is a wood‑engraved print that captures a moment of ordinary urban activity. The image is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Lepère’s interest in depicting the quotidian rather than grand historical or mythological subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a modest shop whose window displays an array of small objects and a hand‑painted sign reading “Bain 50.” Flanking the entrance, two hat‑clad men pause to look inside, while three children sit on the pavement nearby. The scene conveys the rhythm of everyday commerce and the casual interactions of passers‑by in a late‑19th‑century street.
Technique & Style
Lepère employed the revivalist wood‑engraving technique, carving fine lines into end‑grain wood blocks to achieve a dense, textured surface.
Lepère employed the revivalist wood‑engraving technique, carving fine lines into end‑grain wood blocks to achieve a dense, textured surface. The print’s line work is intentionally loose, yet it renders the fabric of clothing, the cluttered shop interior, and the architectural backdrop with precise detail. This balance of sketch‑like vigor and meticulous rendering aligns the work with the realist tendency to document modern life.
History & Provenance
After its creation, the print entered the market for contemporary French prints and was eventually acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view. Its presence in the museum’s collection reflects the institution’s commitment to representing the development of printmaking and the realist portrayal of everyday scenes in the late 1800s.
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.
Unloaders of Plaster (Canal St. Martin)
Notre Dame vue du Marché aux pommes
Norwich Castle
L'Ecluse de la Monnaie
The Boat Trip: Cabin Boy Hauling the Tow-Rope or Hauling by Rope
Sur les Toits pres Notre Dame
Burden Bearers
Atelier de magisserie aux Gobelins
L'Ecluse du Canal St. Martin
Un Vieux Chantier à Rochester (The Old Dock-yard at Rochester)
Unloading, Canal St. Martin (Les dechargeurs de platre, Canal Saint-Martin)
The Lock of the St. Martin Canal