Rue de Mont Cenis c. 19th century

Charles Adams Platt made this etching, Rue de Mont Cenis, with sepia ink on cream laid paper. Platt was an American artist, and this work belongs to a tradition of American artists representing European, and especially Parisian, urban scenes. In the late 19th century, the etching revival helped democratize art, making original prints more accessible and challenging the dominance of academic painting. Etchings like this one allowed artists to explore modern life and fleeting impressions. Montmartre, with its unique atmosphere and working-class population, offered a picturesque subject for artists seeking alternatives to the formal boulevards of Haussmann's Paris. To fully appreciate this work, we might consult periodicals and exhibition reviews from the period, which help us understand how Platt's contemporaries would have viewed it. Doing so gives us a better understanding of the dialogue between art and its public.