46. Auguste Lepère
(1849-1918)

La Rue des Barres, Paris

(click on image to print)
Lepère, La Rue des Barres, Paris

La Rue des Barres, Paris

Wood engraving, 1886, Lotz-Brissonneau 153 ii/ii, 240 x 160 mm. Very fine impression on japan tissue with good margins from the Desmoulins edition of 35, signed and numbered in black ink; the paper time toned outside the image, tip of the lower right margin corner lost, old mounting tape at the corners and along the right edge, otherwise in fine condition. The image was done for the Christmas, 1888 issue of La Revue Illustrée to accompany Emile Zola’s article, Paris Tragique. Lotz-Brissonneau considered it one of the most beautiful of Lepère’s works, and it clearly shows the unique character of wood engraving as it was developed by the artist in its variety of light and shade and the white snowflakes falling from an overcast sky. The church apse at the left is that of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais. The second state is after the removal of the title at the lower left, with no other changes, and there were only ten proofs of the first state and ten of the second before this edition. A superb print.