The Little French Colony at Akaroa, 1845 1865

This 1865 etching by Charles Meryon, titled *The Little French Colony at Akaroa, 1845,* depicts a simple scene with a distant view of a French settlement in New Zealand. The artist’s signature etching style is evident in the delicate lines and light shading used to capture the distant hills and the water in the foreground. The grid lines faintly visible on the paper suggest this was a preparatory drawing or study for a larger piece. The Art Institute of Chicago houses this small but fascinating glimpse into a moment of colonial history.