View of the Convent of the Barefooted Carmelites at Lyon

Art Historical Context

Jean-Jacques de Boissieu *View of the Convent the Barefooted Carmel at Lyon* (1807) offers a tranquil glimpse into early 19th-century France, capturing the riverside silhouette of this historic Discalced Carmelite convent against a lush landscape. As a native Lyonnaise artist (1755–1810), Boissieu specialized in intimate, atmospheric prints that evoke the region's pastoral beauty, blending architecture, trees, boats, and distant human figures in a harmonious composition. Created during the Napoleonic era, the work reflects Lyon's enduring role as a cultural and industrial hub, with the convent—a symbol of contemplative religious life—standing resilient amid post-Revolutionary changes. This etching with drypoint, in its fourth state of five, showcases Boissieu's masterful printmaking technique. Etching provides crisp, incised lines for architectural details and foliage, while drypoint adds a soft, velvety burr for rich tonal depth, mimicking drawing's spontaneity. The progressive states reveal the artist's refinements, making this impression a fascinating artifact of creative evolution. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of James David Draper, 2000), it invites visitors to appreciate how such prints preserved everyday vistas, bridging fine art and topographic tradition. (198 words)

About the Artist

Jean Jacques de Boissieu · 1736–1810

French, Lyons 1736–1810 Lyons