Les Funérailles de L'Amiral Courbet

Lepère employs fine, intersecting lines and delicate cross‑hatching to render depth and texture. The intricate shading distinguishes the crowded figures, the crumbling facades of surrounding buildings, and the spires in the background, achieving a sense of density and atmosphere characteristic of the late‑19th‑century wood‑engraving revival.

Born in 1849, Lepère was a French painter and etcher who played a central role in the European resurgence of wood engraving. He continued working in the medium until his death in 1918, and this 1885 print exemplifies his contribution to the craft’s renewed artistic relevance.

The funeral scene reflects a period of heightened public ceremony in France, where military and political figures were commemorated with elaborate processions. The presence of flags and the crowd’s attentive posture indicate the event’s significance within the broader civic culture of the time.