Part of the City of Paris at the End of the Seventeenth Century - Charles Meryon

A detailed etching by Charles Meryon depicting the historic Seine riverfront in Paris as it appeared during the late seventeenth century.

Charles Meryon produced this etching as part of his celebrated series, Eaux-fortes sur Paris. The work depicts a reconstructed view of the Seine riverfront as it appeared during the late seventeenth century. Meryon utilised historical documents and architectural records to recreate the timber-framed houses and the dense urban fabric that existed before the extensive Haussmann renovations transformed the capital.

The composition focuses on the riverbank between the Pont Notre-Dame and the Pont au Change. The artist employs a precise, linear technique to define the structural details of the dwellings, the wooden scaffolding, and the varied textures of the masonry. Small figures occupy the boats on the water, providing a sense of scale against the looming architecture. Smoke rises from chimneys, suggesting the daily activity of a bygone era. The inclusion of text at the base of the print provides historical context, reflecting Meryon's interest in the intersection of topography and memory.

This print demonstrates the technical control Meryon brought to the medium of etching. His approach avoids atmospheric blurring, favouring instead a sharp, descriptive clarity that documents the vanished medieval and early modern character of Paris. The work functions as a visual archive, capturing the density and verticality of the city's older quarters. By choosing to depict a period preceding his own, Meryon engaged with the concept of urban change and the loss of historical identity. The print remains a significant example of nineteenth-century printmaking, valued for its combination of rigorous draughtsmanship and historical inquiry.