Who painted L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond)?

L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond) was painted by Félix-Hilaire Buhot in 1872.

Where can I see L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond)?

L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond)?

L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond) is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot , 1872

L'Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s 1872 print, L’Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond), is an etching executed on laid paper with plate tone.

About this work

Overview

Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s 1872 print, L’Etang de la Bièvre (The Beaver Pond), is an etching executed on laid paper with plate tone. The composition presents a quiet waterscape dominated by a central pond, edged with tall grasses and low vegetation, beneath a sky traversed by a solitary bird. In the distance a modest urban skyline emerges, framing the natural scene.

Subject & Meaning

The image juxtaposes a tranquil pond environment with the faint suggestion of human habitation on the horizon, hinting at the coexistence of rural and urban spaces. The presence of the bird in flight adds a fleeting element of life, while the still water and surrounding flora convey a sense of calm and contemplation.

Technique & Style

Buhot employed traditional etching methods, enriching the surface with plate tone to produce subtle tonal variations across the laid paper. This approach yields a textured depth that differentiates foreground grasses from distant architecture. The fine line work and careful shading demonstrate the precision typical of 19th‑century printmaking, emphasizing both detail and atmospheric mood.

History & Provenance

Created in 1872, the work belongs to the period when Buhot was active within the broader Romantic tradition in France. Though specific ownership records are limited, the print has been catalogued among his etchings that explore natural subjects, reflecting the artist’s interest in landscape and the interplay between nature and the built environment.