Who painted Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party)?

Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party) was painted by Félix-Hilaire Buhot in 1880.

Where can I see Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party)?

Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party)?

Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party) is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party)?

Museum-quality prints of Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot , 1880

Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers' Tea Party) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s print titled Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers’ Tea Party) was produced in 1880.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower center in margin in plate: Felix Buhot inv sc; lower left in plate: Un The de Douairieres; lower center below plate mark stamped in red: FB (Lugt 977); by later hand, lower left in graphite: P. 2 (crossed out) 1; by later hand, lower right in graphite: B/G 99 v/vii; by later hand, lower center verso in graphite: 61; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: APG 6931/10

About this work

Overview

Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s print titled Un Thé de Douairières (The Dowagers’ Tea Party) was produced in 1880. Executed on Japanese paper, the work combines etching, drypoint and two forms of aquatint, dust ground and spirit ground, resulting in a monochrome image that captures a domestic interior with meticulous detail.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a quiet tea gathering: a seated woman holds a cup and saucer while another figure stands behind her, gazing downward. Ornate furnishings and a large mirror frame the scene, suggesting a refined, perhaps aristocratic, setting. The intimate moment reflects everyday ritual rather than grand narrative.

Technique & Style

Buhot employs a layered printmaking process. Etching provides the primary outlines, drypoint adds fine, velvety lines, and aquatint creates tonal variations through both dust and spirit grounds. The resulting contrast of deep blacks and delicate grays on the Japanese paper emphasizes texture and depth, achieving a realistic yet atmospheric quality.

History & Provenance

Created in the late nineteenth century, the print aligns with the period’s interest in domestic genre scenes. While specific ownership records are limited, the work remains attributed to Buhot and is catalogued among his prints that explore everyday life with a refined technical approach.