Design for a frame for the portrait of Armand Guéraud

Art Historical Context

In 1862, French etcher Charles Meryon this intricate *Design for a Frame for the Portrait of Armandéraud*, a testament to his mastery beyond his famed Parisian cityscapes. Meryon, a key figure in the 19th-century etching, collaborated closely with Armand Guérard (noted here alongside Meryon), likely his friend and fellow artist or printer. This print depicts an elaborate ornamental frame, possibly incorporating books as suggested by its tagging, tailored for Guéraud's portrait and reflecting the opulent decorative tastes of Second Empire France. Executed in etching and drypoint on laid paper, the work is the fourth state of fourteen documented in the Schneiderman catalogue raisonné. Etching allowed Meryon to achieve precise lines through acid-bitten plates, while drypoint added rich, velvety burrs from direct needle scratches, building texture and depth in progressive proofs. At 7 5/16 x 5 7/8 inches, these states reveal the artist's meticulous refinement process. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art via the Rogers Fund in 1917, this print highlights Meryon's versatility and the era's fascination with bespoke frames as extensions of portraiture's grandeur. It invites visitors to appreciate how printmakers like Meryon blurred lines between utility and art, preserving personal bonds in enduring ink.

About the Artist

Charles Meryon|Armand Guérard · 1821–1868

Charles Meryon, born on November 23, 1821, in Paris, was the illegitimate son of English physician Dr. Charles Lewis Meryon and dancer Pierre-Narcisse Chaspoux (stage name Narcisse Gentil) at the Paris Opéra. His half-sister Fanny, from his mother's prior relationship with Viscount Lowther, remained in contact after their mother's death in 1838. Raised partly outside Paris before attending Pension...