Le Hibou (The Owl)
1883
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Félix-Hilaire Buhot
Félix-Hilaire Buhot (1847–1898) was a French artist, born in Valognes.
See the richer artist page1883
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Le Hibou (The Owl) is a 1883 ink by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a busy, dreamy scene packed with odd details. In the center, an owl sits on a book with the words *"PAUCA PAUCIS"* below it. Around it, a tiny person plays a cello, while a ship, a church, and a crowd of tiny figures float in the background. The edges look worn, like the paper has been handled a lot. The owl and book might hint at wisdom or knowledge—maybe a joke about reading too much. The messy, layered lines suggest the artist used multiple techniques to build up the image. Want to know more? Check out etching to see how artists like this create deep, textured prints.
Félix-Hilaire Buhot (1847–1898) was a French artist, born in Valognes.
See the richer artist page
![Gillingham Pier, London [verso]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/641e03dd7de8217b/thumb.webp)