Artwork

Frédéric Mistral: Mémoires et Recits by Frédéric Mistral: bust of a man and a woman (page 185)

Auguste Brouet , 1937

Frédéric Mistral: Mémoires et Recits by Frédéric Mistral: bust of a man and a woman (page 185) is a work on paper by Auguste Brouet. It dates from 1937 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1999.298.38
Credit line: Gift of Carole W. and Charles B. Rosenblatt

About this work

Overview

Created in 1937 by French printmaker Auguste Brouet, this modest drawing appears on page 185 of Frédéric Mistral’s publication Mémoires et Récits. The work consists of a quick, sketch‑like representation of two heads, a woman seen in profile and a man partially concealed behind her, rendered in fine, gestural lines.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a fleeting moment: a woman with her hair gathered back looks toward the viewer, while a man wearing a broad‑brimmed hat lingers in the background, his features obscured by shadow. The juxtaposition suggests a narrative pause, perhaps a private conversation or a brief encounter recorded in Mistral’s memoirs.

Technique & Style

Brouet employed a loose, pencil‑like line that conveys immediacy and spontaneity. The drawing’s economy of detail, minimal shading and swift contours, reflects the artist’s habit of producing rapid studies, emphasizing gesture over finished modeling.

History & Provenance

The piece was executed for inclusion in Mistral’s 1937 volume and later entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It remains catalogued as part of the museum’s holdings, where it is displayed as an example of Brouet’s illustrative work linked to literary publications.