Le Ministère de la Marine, Paris (The Admiralty, Paris)

Charles Meryon

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a view of a building with grand columns identified as the "Ministère de la Marine." The building occupies much of the space in the foreground, with people and horse-drawn carriages below. In the background, an obelisk and other structures can be seen. The sky is filled with flying figures and creatures amidst swirling clouds, depicted with intricate line work typical of etching. The color palette is monochromatic, using shades of black and white to create contrast and detail.