The Pont-Neuf 1901

Auguste-Louis Lepère made this etching of the Pont-Neuf, one of the oldest bridges in Paris, using a network of fine lines to capture a slice of Parisian life. Look closely, and you'll notice how the density of the lines creates depth and shadow, giving the scene a tangible, almost gritty feel. The figures along the riverbank are rendered with such economy, yet they’re full of movement, pulling at ropes and wading into the water. I love the way Lepère uses the etching needle like a kind of intuitive choreography, scratching and scribbling, to build this incredibly detailed image. That archway on the right frames a dark void, pulling us into the depths of the picture, a kind of shadow play. Lepère’s mark-making reminds me a little of Whistler, in the sense of the artist capturing the essence of a place through a kind of shorthand, a poetic language of lines and tones. In the end, it's the suggestive quality, the invitation to fill in the blanks, that makes this piece so compelling.