Provins 1910

Auguste-Louis Lepère made this etching called ‘Provins’ at some point during his lifetime. Look at the way the lines are hatched, like tiny strokes of thought, building up the image. I imagine Lepère standing there, squinting at the light, trying to capture the texture of the old buildings. You can almost feel the cool air and the weight of the stone. There is a real intimacy in the details - the way the roof slants, the tiny figures milling around – each mark carefully considered. Lepère was a printmaker with a deep connection to the everyday, like his contemporary Camille Pissarro. They were both trying to capture the fleeting moments of modern life. Artists are always in conversation, right? We pick up where others leave off. Hopefully we are all inspiring each other. And even though it’s a still image, I think it evokes the feeling of the artist and the time it was made in. It's not a fixed thing, its always changing.