Artwork
Marché aux Pommes, No. 2
Marché aux Pommes, No. 2 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. Auguste Louis Lepère’s *Marché aux Pommes, No.
About this work
Overview
Auguste Louis Lepère’s *Marché aux Pommes, No. 2* is an 1894 etching that captures a moment in a French town’s apple market. The composition centers on a woman seated on a stone ledge, basket of apples in hand, with a bell tower and bustling square receding behind her. The work reflects Lepère’s interest in ordinary urban scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a slice of daily commerce, emphasizing the vitality of market life. The woman’s relaxed posture and the fresh apples suggest abundance, while the surrounding crowd of diminutive figures conveys the rhythm of a public space. Lepère’s focus on commonplace activity aligns with the realist impulse to document everyday reality.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching, the piece displays Lepère’s characteristic linear precision, yet the drawing retains a spontaneous, sketch‑like quality. Loose, rapid lines define the figures and architecture, balancing careful draftsmanship with a sense of immediacy. This approach mirrors his broader involvement in the late‑19th‑century revival of wood engraving and experimental print methods.
History & Provenance
Created during a period of heightened experimentation in French printmaking, the work reflects Lepère’s career as a painter and printmaker born in 1849. While specific ownership details are scarce, the etching has been catalogued among his series of market scenes, illustrating his contribution to the resurgence of traditional engraving techniques in Europe.
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.
