Stanislas-Victor-Edmond Lépine, 'The Pont de la Tournelle, Paris', 1862-4
About the work
Overview
Views of the Seine and its many bridges were a favourite subject for Stanislas-Victor-Edmond Lépine. The arched stone Pont de la Tournelle we see here connected the left bank of the river to the Ile Saint-Louis. It was constructed in 1654 and replaced in 1928 by the bridge that exists today.
In this painting we are looking west. The tower in front of the Pont de la Tournelle is what remained of another bridge, the Pont de Constantine. The two towers, spire and apse of Notre-Dame Cathedral on the Ile de la Cité are centre-right in the distance. The tall structure on the horizon is probably the Eiffel Tower, built in 1889. Its presence dates the picture to the final years of Lépine’s life, almost 30 years later than it was previously believed to have been painted.
This small picture is very likely a sketch painted on site. The focus on atmosphere and the muted tonal harmonies suggest the influence of Corot, with whom Lépine had studied.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Pont de la Tournelle, Paris
- Artist dates
- 1835 - 1892
- Date made
- 1862-4
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 13.7 × 24.4 cm
- Inscription summary
- Signed
- Acquisition credit
- Presented by J.C.J. Drucker, 1910
- Inventory number
- NG2727
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Martin Davies, with additions and some revisions by Cecil Gould, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: French School: Early 19th Century, Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, etc.’, London 1970, and supplemented by Isobel Muir; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1957Martin Davies, National Gallery Catalogues: French School, 2nd edn (revised), London 1957
-
1970Davies, Martin, and Cecil Gould, National Gallery Catalogues: French School: Early 19th Century, Impressionists, Post-Impressionists etc., London 1970
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.