By: Erik Desmazières

Medium: Etching, aquatint & roulette
Year: 2013
ImageSize: 24.6 x 12.95 inches

In Le Magasin central des imprimés (Plate No. 4), Erik Desmazières depicts the dense, labyrinthine architecture of the Bibliothèque Nationale’s historic book stacks. Multiple levels of iron platforms, staircases, and shelving interlock in a striking vertical composition, emphasizing the depth, rhythm, and structural rigor of the space. The artist’s meticulous linework and mastery of etching, aquatint, and roulette create an atmosphere that feels both archival and architectural—an immersive study of order, repetition, and vast stored knowledge.