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Preliminary Sketch for " The Passage" (La Traversee)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot

1882

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Interior

Dominant colour

Preliminary Sketch for " The Passage" (La Traversee) is a 1882 graphite by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Félix-Hilaire Buhot
When & what style?: 1882 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a rough, fast-drawn scene of people in a dim room. On the left, a woman in a hat holds a baby, her body turned away. In the middle, a seated woman cradles a child, her face blurred. On the right, a man in a long coat stands near a window, watching the group. The lines are shaky, like the artist was working quickly. The sketch feels unfinished, with smudges and light shading. It’s more about movement and quick gestures than detail. If you like this loose style, look up Realism next.