Statue d'homme d'etat

Art Historical Context

**Statue d'homme'état** is a striking wood engraving by French artist Auguste Lepère, in 1886. Lepère (1854–1918), a master of printmaking, was renowned for his intricate depictions of Parisian life, architecture, and monuments during the Belle Époque. This work captures a statue honoring a prominent statesman, reflecting the era's fascination with public memorials that celebrated political figures amid France's Third Republic. Wood engraving, the medium here, was a pinnacle of 19th-century printmaking. Unlike earlier techniques, it allowed for fine lines and tonal depth by carving end-grain wood blocks, enabling detailed illustrations for books, journals, and posters. Lepère's skill shines in the precise rendering of the statue's form, drapery, and pedestal, blending realism with subtle artistry to evoke grandeur and historical reverence. Acquired through the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund for the National Gallery of Art's print collection (Department CG-E), this piece highlights the cultural role of engravings in disseminating images of national heroes. It invites visitors to ponder how such artworks immortalized statesmen, bridging sculpture and everyday visual culture in late 19th-century France.

About the Artist

Auguste Lepère · 1849–1918

Auguste-Louis Lepère (1849–1918), son of the sculptor François Lepère, was born in Paris on November 30, 1849, into an artistic family that shaped his early path. At age thirteen, he apprenticed in the Paris studio of the English wood engraver Joseph Burn Smeeton, honing his skills in wood engraving until 1867. He furthered his training with drawing classes under Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran at the...