Entrance to the French Capuchin Monastery in Athens

Charles Meryon pursued a career as a professional draughtsman in the mid-1840s. He worked in Paris etching the architecture of the city in a Gothic style. Entrance to the French Capuchin Monastery in Athens depicts a columnar monument originally commissioned by Lysicrates of Athens. The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates is the first recorded example of Corinthian order columns on an exterior facade. Although Meryon's etching showcases his architectural study of this Greek monument, its title captures the building’s extended history. The Greek monument was absorbed by a French Capuchin monastery in 1658 where Meryon likely saw it in person.