Anne-Solène Bayan, author and curator of Gothic Soul: Charles Meryon, will introduce the life and work of Charles Meryon (1821-1868), recognized today as one of France’s greatest etchers. The illegitimate son of a dancer in the Paris Opéra and an English physician, Meryon first pursued a career in the French Navy, where he learned to draw. He devoted himself to black-and-white printmaking after discovering he was color blind, gaining the admiration of his contemporaries Victor Hugo and Charles Baudelaire. Anne-Solène will present an overview of the etcher’s oeuvre, from his depictions of the South Pacific, inspired by his travels as a naval officer, to now-iconic depictions of Paris during the Gothic Revival before the city’s Haussmannization.

This online event will be held in English on Zoom. Q&A to follow the presentation.

Get Tickets