Charles Méryon (1821-1868) San Francisco. 1855-1856. Etching on steel (after 5 daguerreotypes). 990 x 240. Delteil 73; Schneiderman 54. A very fine proof of a later print on japon vergé. Fines and long vertical broken folds (the print having been previously rolled). Slight trace of oxidation at the edges of the folio. Small tear at foot. Fine margins [1185 x 365]. This etching was commissioned by bankers J. Beyerque and F.-A. Pioche. In April 1856, in a letter to his father, Méryon wrote: "I am still working on my view of San-Francisco. I'm adding some work to color it, so I'll soon be giving it a secondary bite, for which I'll still need a great deal of attention, as well as a bit of luck. This will be the plate that cost me the most emotion. At the same time (December 1855), Charles was declared "entirely insane". Around September 1856, in an undated letter to his father, Méryon went back over the trouble this plate had caused him: "I've already told you about it: it's a large view of San Francisco, the drawing of which had been given to me in five juxtaposed daguerreotype prints. As these proofs could only be connected with difficulty, both because of the deviation of the lines and the confusion that always exists at the boundaries, it took me an incredible amount of trouble to make a single, more or less correct drawing." The small daguerreotyped plates did indeed connect rather badly, as the operator had certainly, according to the artist, taken them at different times of the day. He goes on to explain that, in order to obtain a large number of proofs, with sufficient fineness of detail, he had undertaken to engrave on steel for the first time. Finally, in March 1857, Méryon wrote: "... I have completed my view of San Francisco to my great relief (...) my perseverance has been followed by unexpected success...". "Thus, this etching of San Francisco represents a year's work by one of the greatest engravers of the French school (...) Four of the preparatory drawings are preserved at the Art Institute of Chicago." (Jean Ducros, Charles Meryon, officier de marine, peintre-graveur, 1821-1868, exhibition cat., Musée de la Marine, Paris, October, 1968-January 1969, no. 764).