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Drawing for a Fan

Félix-Hilaire Buhot

1872

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Drawing for a Fan is a 1872 ink by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Félix-Hilaire Buhot
When & what style?: 1872 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a group of cherubs floating in a soft, cloudy sky. They’re light-skinned, with wings and flowing hair, some holding musical instruments or scrolls. The background blends pale blues and pinks, with swirls that look like wind or smoke. The paper has faint red marks on the back, maybe to help transfer the design. The artist used thin, delicate lines for the figures and bold strokes for the clouds. Look up technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists build up colors like this.