Artwork
Provins (Seine et Marne)
Provins (Seine et Marne) is an ink print by Auguste Lepère. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1910, *Provins (Seine et Marne)* is an etching by French artist Auguste Lepère. The print captures a modest village scene, rendered with the delicate line work characteristic of Lepère’s printmaking practice during the early twentieth century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a narrow street lined with stone houses and steeply pitched roofs. A woman in period attire converses with a group of children near a large arched doorway, while trees and distant figures suggest everyday activity in a quiet provincial setting.
Technique & Style
Lepère employed fine, incised lines to model the texture of stone façades, tiled roofs, and foliage, achieving a nuanced sense of surface within the limited tonal range of etching. The overall effect resembles a spontaneous observation, emphasizing line over shading.
History & Provenance
Auguste Lepère, noted for his contributions to the revival of wood engraving, turned to etching in the years surrounding 1910. *Provins (Seine et Marne)* exemplifies his engagement with the medium at that time, though specific ownership records for this particular print remain limited.
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.
Pegwell Bay
At Otford, Kent
Negro Huts at Wilmington
Ancienne habitation à Bourges, dite "La Maison du Musicien" (An Old House at Bourges, Sometimes Called the "Musician's House")
Topographical drawings
Cottage at Scalby, nr. Scarborough
An Old House at Bourges, sometimes called the Musician's House
Castle with Two Towers
Farms
Street scene