Trappen op Montmartre 1773 - 1843

Editor: This pencil drawing, "Trappen op Montmartre," attributed to Georges Michel and created sometime between 1773 and 1843, presents a somber, almost ghostly image of a Parisian cityscape. The textures feel so delicate. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: The primary elements are indeed the linear configurations, the strategic distribution of light and shadow. Consider the texture created by the pencil strokes; they define the form without relying on a high degree of tonal contrast. Notice how the artist establishes depth through delicate lines that diminish in intensity, pushing the background elements into a softer focus. Editor: I hadn't thought about the intention behind the softness; I'd assumed it was simply the pencil at work. Does the limited tonal range also affect our understanding? Curator: Precisely. The artist has chosen a very limited palette, favoring subtle gradations. The composition adheres to the classical landscape tradition, structuring the view through layers and planes, the formal qualities take precedence over any attempt to document or celebrate this Parisian neighborhood. We are given structure and composition before emotion. Editor: So you're suggesting the drawing’s emotional tone is constructed primarily through formal decisions? I guess I assumed the subject matter, Montmartre, played a bigger role. Curator: Undoubtedly. Form is content. That's not to say that Montmartre is not important, it's to state that Michel used geometry and form to make it feel raw, rather than romanticizing this bustling suburb of Paris. Editor: I'm beginning to grasp that; Thank you! Looking more carefully, I am surprised by the emotional charge produced by such seemingly austere construction!