Collège Henri IV, Paris, ou Lycée Napoléon (Henry IV College or Napoleon School, Paris)

Charles Meryon

National Gallery of Art

The image is an intricate etching of an urban landscape, viewed from an elevated, bird's-eye perspective. The scene shows a sprawling cityscape with various buildings, rooftops, streets, and figures. One prominent structure is detailed with architectural elements and surrounded by courtyards and pathways lined with trees. The rest of the city consists of tightly packed buildings in rectangular and square shapes, with pitched roofs creating a rhythmic pattern. The etching features fine lines and cross-hatching to depict textures and uses a monochromatic color palette of black, brown, and cream to convey depth and contrast.