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I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot

1880

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Interior

Dominant colour

I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) is a 1880 ink by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Félix-Hilaire Buhot
When & what style?: 1880 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a dimly lit room with a group of people dressed in old-fashioned clothes. A man in a dark suit stands alone near the doorway, holding a glass. Around him, women in fancy dresses and men in suits talk and gesture, while a few figures sit in the background. The edges of the paper are filled with swirling, ghostly sketches of people and objects. The artist used loose, sketchy lines to create a lively but slightly fuzzy scene. The dark tones make the room feel crowded and full of movement. Look up etching to see how artists like this one use acid and metal plates to make prints.