Paris, Viewed from the Pavillon de Flore, plate eleven from Le Long de la Seine et des Boulevards Possibly 1890 - 1910

Auguste-Louis Lepère created this etching titled "Paris, Viewed from the Pavillon de Flore," part of "Le Long de la Seine et des Boulevards." Lepère was working in late 19th-century Paris, a city undergoing profound transformation. The Eiffel Tower was looming, and the city was becoming modern. Lepère captures Paris from a privileged viewpoint, yet rain sweeps across the scene, a melancholic commentary on urban life. His choice of printmaking, a medium accessible to a wider audience, positions this work beyond a simple landscape. It invites us to reflect on who has access to the city and how its image is constructed. Lepère’s print invites us to ponder the relationship between progress and the persistent presence of nature. The emotional depth of the artwork lies in its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia and to question what is gained and lost in the relentless march of time.