CHARLES MERYON A Life

Charles Meryon (November 1821 - February 1868) was a French artist who worked almost entirely in etching, as he had color blindness. Although now little-known in the English-speaking world, he is generally recognized as the most significant etcher of 19th century France. His most famous works are a series of views powerfully conveying his distinctive Gothic vision of Paris. He also had mental illness, dying in an asylum.

Few nineteenth-century artists have been more in need of an authoritative biography than Meryon. Roger Collins's new biography is the product of 40 years of research which began while he was an undergraduate in New Zealand in the 1950s. He has read every known letter from Meryon's hand, including several recently unearthed in French archives, and has located the artist's medical records. Every contemporary reference to Meryon has been assiduously examined. The picture that emerges is very different from the biographical pronouncements of Sir Frederick Wedmore a hundred years ago. Collins examines Meryons life as a whole rather than focusing solely upon his years as an artist. This depth of focus helps us to understand some of the qualities in his prints - qualities which secured his reputation as one of the world's greatest printmakers. Out Of Print. Condition: Very Fine.