River Dredges and Lighters c. 1850

Charles Meryon created this drawing of 'River Dredges and Lighters' using graphite. He lived in nineteenth-century Paris, a city undergoing massive reconstruction which deeply influenced his work. Meryon developed a unique vision of modernity that was melancholic and often tinged with madness. What strikes me most about this piece is its quiet stillness. Born out of wedlock, Meryon joined the French navy and later turned to art, teaching himself etching. His difficult life was compounded by mental illness; he was eventually committed to an asylum where he died. The image depicts working boats on the Seine; these vessels were part of the infrastructure that enabled the rapid changes transforming Paris. But rather than glorifying progress, Meryon’s careful rendering invites reflection on the human cost of modernization. It's a poignant look at how society’s gears churn, often obscuring the labor and lives that power them.