Artwork
La Place Pigalle en 1878 (Place Pigalle in 1878)
La Place Pigalle en 1878 (Place Pigalle in 1878) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1878 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right in plate: FB 1878; lower left in plate: a la place Piqalle (crossed out) Pigalle / 1878; lower right with red stamp: FB (Lugt 977); in upper right rectangular block, between café chair and dog, faintly inscribed in plate: Fontaine Pigalle; by later hand, lower right in graphite: R. 199; by later hand, lower left in graphite: Ber 129; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: 72649
About this work
Overview
Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s print titled La Place Pigalle en 1878 depicts a bustling Parisian thoroughfare in the late nineteenth century. Executed in 1878, the work combines several intaglio processes, etching, aquatint, drypoint and roulette, on laid paper, with burnished black tones that give the scene depth and atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a lively street corner where pedestrians, horse‑drawn carriages and shopkeepers converge. A woman seated on a step, sheltered by an umbrella and accompanied by a small dog, draws the eye, while surrounding figures navigate the uneven cobbles. Signboards such as “Tout Paris” and “Au Rat Mort” anchor the setting in a recognizable Parisian locale.
Technique & Style
Buhot’s approach layers multiple printmaking techniques: delicate etched lines define architecture and figures, while aquatint washes create tonal gradations of shadow and light. Drypoint adds crisp, velvety edges, and roulette stippling contributes texture to the ground and sky. The burnished black areas intensify contrast, a hallmark of late‑1800s urban prints.
History & Provenance
Created in 1878, the print reflects the period’s fascination with documenting modern city life. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work is catalogued among Buhot’s urban series, which were widely circulated among collectors of French printmaking in the decades following its production.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
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