The Apse of Nôtre-Dame, Paris 1854

Charles Meryon created this etching, "The Apse of Nôtre-Dame, Paris," using metal plates, acid, and ink. Meryon’s etching captures the architectural grandeur of Notre-Dame, but equally important is its depiction of Paris as a bustling center of commerce and labor. The city's iconic cathedral looms over a scene filled with working people: figures unloading cargo from horse-drawn carts and boats pulled up along the riverbank. These details are etched into the metal with incredible precision, made all the more impressive given the amount of labor involved. This contrasts with the towering cathedral, built over centuries by generations of craftsmen. The etching process itself, involving laborious steps of coating, scratching, and acid-etching, mirrors the slow, additive process of building a cathedral. By emphasizing both the monument and the human activity surrounding it, Meryon underscores how cultural achievements are built upon the labor of many hands.