Artwork

Paris, View from the Concorde Bridge

Paris, View from the Concorde Bridge, by Maxime Lalanne, 1866
Paris, View from the Concorde Bridge, by Maxime Lalanne, 1866

Paris, View from the Concorde Bridge is a print by the Impressionist artist Maxime Lalanne. It dates from 1866 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1866, *Paris, View from the Concorde Bridge* is an etching by French artist Maxime Lalanne, noted for his skill in both printmaking and charcoal drawing. The work presents a panoramic river scene, capturing the bustling atmosphere of mid‑nineteenth‑century Paris as observed from the stone bridge spanning the Seine.

Subject & Meaning

The composition frames the Seine with its broad waters and a stone bridge populated by pedestrians and horse‑drawn carts. Trees line a promenade on the left bank, while tightly packed façades and a modest guardhouse dominate the right bank. Small boats moored along the shore hint at the river’s commercial role, offering a snapshot of everyday urban life.

Technique & Style

Lalanne employs delicate, intersecting hatchings to render tonal variations, building shadows and highlights through layered lines rather than broad washes. This approach yields a sketch‑like immediacy, characteristic of French printmaking in the 1800s, where the artist’s hand remains visible and the chiaroscuro effect emerges from the density of the incised lines.

History & Provenance

The etching was produced during a period when Lalanne was establishing his reputation for precise topographical prints. Though specific ownership records are limited, the work has been catalogued in several nineteenth‑century print collections and continues to appear in exhibitions focusing on urban representation in French art.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Maxime Lalanne

Artist

Maxime Lalanne

François Antoine Maxime Lalanne (November 27, 1827 – July 29, 1886) was a French artist known for his etchings and charcoal drawings (fusain).

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.