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Charles Meryon
Charles Meryon

Charles Meryon

French, 1821-1868
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Charles Meryon was a French artist who worked almost entirely in etching, as he suffered from colour blindness. Although now little-known in the English-speaking world, he is generally recognised as the most significant etcher of 19th century France. His most famous works are a series of views powerfully conveying his distinctive Gothic vision of Paris. He also suffered from mental illness, dying in an asylum.

Meryon's mother was a dancer at the Paris Opera, who moved to London around 1814 to dance there. In 1818 she had a daughter by Viscount Lowther, the future William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale, a wealthy aristocrat and politician, and 1821 Charles Meryon by Dr Charles Lewis Meryon, an English doctor, returning to Paris for the birth, and remaining there for the rest of her life. The household in Paris was supported financially by both fathers, but more so by Lowther, whose indirect funding remained important throughout Meryon's life; he made very little money from his art.

Starting at the age of 16, Meryon spent ten years as a naval cadet and finally officer, which included tours of the Mediterranean, and a four year voyage around the world, for most of it based in New Zealand, where the French then maintained an imperial toe-hold. On his return he fought and was wounded in a pro-government militia during political disturbances in 1848.

He had become seriously interested in art during his naval career, starting to take lessons. He gradually and reluctantly realized that his colour-blindness ruled out painting, and by 1848 settled on etching, then out of favour as a medium for fine art, though about to undergo a considerable revival. His best period lasted between 1850 and about 1856, before his increasing mental illness reduced his output. He spent fourteen months in an asylum in 1858 and 1859, then continued to work until 1866, when he re-entered the asylum for the final time.

62 items

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Rue Pirouette aux Halles (Rue Pirouette aux Halles, Paris, after Laurence)

Rue Pirouette aux Halles (Rue Pirouette aux Halles, Paris, after Laurence) (1860)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Coat-of-Arms Symbolizing the City of Paris

Coat-of-Arms Symbolizing the City of Paris (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Design for a frame for the portrait of Armand Guéraud

Design for a frame for the portrait of Armand Guéraud (1862)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Entrance to the Faubourg Saint-Marceau, Paris

Entrance to the Faubourg Saint-Marceau, Paris (1850)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Etchings of Paris; Title page to the suite

Etchings of Paris; Title page to the suite (1852)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Evariste Boulay-Paty

Evariste Boulay-Paty (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
François Viète

François Viète (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Frontispiece for the Catalogue of the work of Thomas De Leu

Frontispiece for the Catalogue of the work of Thomas De Leu (1866)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Gallery, Nôtre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

Gallery, Nôtre-Dame Cathedral, Paris (1853)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
House with a Turret, rue de la Tixéranderie, Paris

House with a Turret, rue de la Tixéranderie, Paris (1852)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
L’Ancien Louvre (The Old Louvre, Paris, after Zeeman)

L’Ancien Louvre (The Old Louvre, Paris, after Zeeman) (1865–66)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Le Grand Châtelet

Le Grand Châtelet (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Le Pont au Change

Le Pont au Change

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Pierre Nivelle, Bishop of Luçon, after Lasne

Pierre Nivelle, Bishop of Luçon, after Lasne (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Pont-au-change, Paris

Pont-au-change, Paris (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Rue des Mauvais Garçons, Paris

Rue des Mauvais Garçons, Paris (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
Coat-of-Arms Symbolic of the City of Paris with the motto; It Rocks But Does Not Sink

Coat-of-Arms Symbolic of the City of Paris with the motto; It Rocks But Does Not Sink (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
The Apse of Nôtre-Dame, Paris

The Apse of Nôtre-Dame, Paris (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
The Breton archaeologist Louis Jacques Marie Bizeul

The Breton archaeologist Louis Jacques Marie Bizeul (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
The Church of St. Etienne-du-Mont, Paris

The Church of St. Etienne-du-Mont, Paris (1852)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
The Colonist René de Laudonnière Sablais, after van de Passe

The Colonist René de Laudonnière Sablais, after van de Passe (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
The Gallery, Nôtre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

The Gallery, Nôtre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
The historian John Besly, after Jaspar Isaac

The historian John Besly, after Jaspar Isaac (1861)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
The Mortuary, Paris (La Morgue)

The Mortuary, Paris (La Morgue) (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
The Nôtre-Dame Pump, Paris

The Nôtre-Dame Pump, Paris (1852)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
The Notre-Dame Pump

The Notre-Dame Pump (1854)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
The Petit Pont, Paris

The Petit Pont, Paris (1850)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Landscape
The printer Valère Maxime being presented to King Louis XI

The printer Valère Maxime being presented to King Louis XI (1860)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
The Vampire

The Vampire (1853)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
Three Pigs Lying in Front of a Shed

Three Pigs Lying in Front of a Shed (1850)

Charles Meryon (French, 1821-1868)
Illustration
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