Artwork
La Tour de l'Horloge, Paris (The Clock Tower, Paris)
La Tour de l'Horloge, Paris (The Clock Tower, Paris) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Charles Meryon. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1852, this etching depicts a towering medieval clock structure rising above a river‑spanned bridge, its steep roof and sharp spires framed by surrounding buildings with numerous windows and pointed roofs. The composition is rendered in fine, intricate lines on laid paper, giving the scene a slightly smoky atmosphere that suggests an early morning in the city.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a Gothic‑styled clock tower, a prominent element of Parisian architecture, set against a bustling river scene where boats lie moored beneath the bridge. By emphasizing the tower’s height and the surrounding urban fabric, the image conveys the enduring presence of historic structures within the daily life of the city.
Technique & Style
Executed entirely in etching, the artist employed delicate, controlled lines to render each brick, beam, and architectural detail, a method suited to his colour‑blindness. The use of laid paper enhances the texture of the print, while the fine cross‑hatching creates depth and a subtle sense of atmospheric smoke.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to a series of Paris views produced by the French printmaker, who devoted most of his career to etching. Though his reputation as the leading 19th‑century French etcher is well established in France, it has remained comparatively modest in English‑language scholarship.
Context
During the mid‑19th century, Paris underwent extensive modernization, yet this artist’s work reflects a nostalgic Gothic perspective, focusing on medieval architecture rather than the contemporary Haussmannian transformations. The print thus offers a counter‑narrative to the prevailing urban reforms of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
L'ancien Louvre d'après une peinture de Zeeman, 1651 (The Old Louvre, from a Painting by Zeeman, 1651)
L'ancien Louvre d'après une peinture de Zeeman, 1651 (The Old Louvre, from a Painting by Zeeman, 1651)
The Exchange Bridge, Paris, about 1784
Le Pont-au-Change, Paris
The Old Louvre from a Painting by Zeeman, 1651
Le Pont-au-Change, Paris
Le Pont-au-Change, Paris, vers 1784
L'ancien Louvre d'après une peinture de Zeeman, 1651 (The Old Louvre, from a Painting by Zeeman, l651)