Screen of Poplars 1911

Auguste-Louis Lepère crafted this landscape using etching, a process that imprints both light and shadow into metal. Observe the poplars dominating the foreground, their tall trunks and delicate branches creating a screen that filters our view, drawing us into the landscape. Trees, since ancient times, have been symbols of life and growth, often embodying a connection between the earthly and the divine. We see this reverence echoed across cultures, from the sacred groves of the Greeks to the tree of life in various mythologies. Even in secular contexts, trees often represent resilience and continuity, a silent witness to the passage of time. Lepère’s ‘Screen of Poplars’ touches something deep within us, stirring subconscious associations with nature's enduring presence. It reminds us of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, themes that resonate throughout human history.