La Morgue - Charles Meryon

A detailed 1854 etching by Charles Meryon depicting the old Parisian morgue on the banks of the Seine.

Charles Meryon produced this etching, titled La Morgue, during his most productive period in Paris. The work depicts the old morgue building situated on the banks of the Seine, near the Quai du Marché-Neuf. Meryon was known for his meticulous approach to printmaking, often spending weeks on a single plate to capture the specific textures of stone, smoke, and water.

The composition is structured around the stark, geometric lines of the morgue building, which contrasts with the chaotic, organic movement of the smoke rising from nearby chimneys. In the foreground, a group of figures gathers along the wall, observing the scene with a sense of quiet detachment. Meryon employs a dense network of cross-hatching to define the shadows and the weathered surfaces of the Parisian architecture. The atmosphere is heavy, reflecting the sombre nature of the subject matter while documenting a specific corner of the city before the extensive urban renovations of the mid-nineteenth century.

This print demonstrates Meryon's technical precision and his ability to imbue architectural subjects with a psychological weight. The lines are sharp and deliberate, creating a sense of depth that draws the viewer into the narrow, confined space of the riverbank. By focusing on the mundane and often grim aspects of urban life, Meryon moved away from the idealised depictions of the city common in earlier periods. The work remains a significant example of nineteenth-century printmaking, valued for its historical documentation of Paris and its mastery of the etching medium. The inclusion of the artist's signature and the address of the printer at the bottom of the plate provides a clear record of its production, typical of Meryon's professional practice.