Tourelle, Rue de l'École de Médecine, 22, Paris 1861

Editor: This etching, "Tourelle, Rue de l'École de Médecine, 22, Paris," by Charles Meryon, was created in 1861. It has this really intricate detail, almost gothic feeling to it. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Immediately, I see a careful encoding of urban memory. Note the prominent 'tourelle,' or turret, juxtaposed with what seems to be a parade. Turrets often symbolize power, history, and even imprisonment in some contexts. What story do you think Meryon is telling by setting a celebratory procession against this backdrop of aged architecture? Editor: I didn't think about the parade being related to the turret. Perhaps there is tension between progress and the weight of the past? Curator: Exactly! Consider also the location - the street of the School of Medicine. This suggests a space of healing, knowledge, but also perhaps dissection, literally and metaphorically, of society. Do you see any other visual cues that seem important? Editor: There are birds overhead! It is a really cool touch in the sky that would otherwise feel heavy with all the etched clouds. Are they just aesthetic, or is Meryon up to something there as well? Curator: Ah, the birds! Excellent observation. Birds often signify freedom, escape, or even the soul's journey. Juxtapose those against the stone and weight of the architecture. Doesn’t that create an interesting dynamic, this longing for something beyond the physical constraints of Parisian society? It also has me thinking about mortality and its place in medical science... Editor: That’s fascinating. So it is not just a cityscape; Meryon embedded these layers of meaning using both location and familiar symbols. Thanks for highlighting that! Curator: It's a powerful reminder that even seemingly realistic depictions are loaded with cultural and psychological weight. Etchings like these encourage us to decode our shared visual language.