Etchings of Paris; Title page to the suite 1852

Editor: So, this is Charles Meryon's "Etchings of Paris; Title page to the suite" from 1852, currently at the Met. It’s an etching and engraving, quite small, and I’m struck by how almost grotesque the lettering is, it gives it this really strange, almost ominous feeling. What do you make of it? Curator: It's fascinating how Meryon deploys the traditionally "high art" medium of etching for something as ostensibly commercial as a title page. Consider the etching process itself—the physical labor, the biting of the metal, the repetitive actions to create multiple impressions. It brings the artisanal quality to the forefront. Editor: Interesting, I hadn't thought of it that way, how the act of creation becomes a key point. Curator: Exactly! And observe how the text is almost fractured, reflecting perhaps the rapidly changing urban landscape of Paris under Haussmannization. The means of production is intrinsically linked to what's being represented, challenging Romantic notions of idealized landscapes. The title looks as though it is on a crumbling stone tablet. Is that what the artist thought about the city? Editor: The way you describe it makes the print seem more like a critique than a celebration of Paris. Do you think Meryon was trying to make a statement about industrialization? Curator: Undoubtedly. The very materiality of the print, the paper, the ink, become evidence of the industrialized production of art. It raises questions about accessibility and the consumption of art in mid-19th century Paris. Editor: That really shifts my perspective on this piece. I was so focused on the aesthetics but now I see it more as a commentary on the societal context. Thanks, it definitely made me think about art production in a whole new way. Curator: The pleasure is mine. It's rewarding to consider art as both a cultural artifact and a product of very material processes.