Gezicht op de rue de Sèvres met zicht op de Abbaye -aux-Bois 1906 - 1911

Henri Manesse made this print of the rue de Sèvres in Paris, sometime between 1854 and 1940. Look how the scene emerges from the paper through a delicate dance of etched lines, a network of marks that reveal the architecture and the soft light. I imagine Manesse, his gaze shifting from the scene before him to the plate, carefully translating the three-dimensional world into a series of deliberate, yet expressive strokes. What was he thinking as he worked? Maybe about how each line contributes to the overall atmosphere? The buildings stand stoic, solid, rendered with a sensitivity that reminds me of Piranesi. The monochromatic palette gives the image a timeless quality, while the precision of the lines speaks to a deep understanding of form and perspective. In a way it anticipates some of the concerns later developed by Bernd and Hilla Becher, I think. Artists are always looking, learning, and building upon the work of those who came before. It's a continuous exchange.