Who painted Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount?

Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount was painted by Charles Meryon in 1852.

Where can I see Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount?

Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount?

Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount

Charles Meryon , 1852

Etchings of Paris: Church of St. Stephen of the Mount is a print by the Impressionist artist Charles Meryon. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1852, this black‑and‑white print depicts the Church of Saint‑Étienne du Mont, a tall, deteriorating Gothic structure with a clock tower, pointed spire and a rounded portal. Rough stone walls and sharply angled roofs are rendered in fine, intersecting lines, while a few diminutive figures linger near the entrance, emphasizing scale and atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The composition concentrates on the interplay of light and shadow across the weathered façade, suggesting the passage of time and the melancholy of urban decay. By isolating the church against a muted sky, the image invites contemplation of Paris’s historic fabric and the spiritual solitude of a once‑prominent edifice.

Technique & Style

Meryon employed traditional etching, exploiting the medium’s capacity for delicate line work and tonal variation. His use of chiaroscuro—contrasting deep blacks with luminous whites—creates a three‑dimensional illusion, while the dense network of hatching conveys texture and the roughness of stone. The overall effect is atmospheric and brooding, characteristic of his Gothic vision of the city.

History & Provenance

Part of a larger series of Parisian views, the print reflects Meryon’s commitment to etching after he became colour‑blind, limiting his practice to monochrome media. Recognised as France’s pre‑eminent 19th‑century etcher, Meryon produced this work amid personal struggles with mental illness; he died in an asylum in 1868. The piece remains a key example of his urban oeuvre.

Artist & collection

Artist

Charles Meryon

Charles Meryon (sometimes Méryon, 23 November 1821 – 14 February 1868) was a French artist who worked almost entirely in etching, as he had colour blindness.