Artwork
La Dupe; Son petit coeur

La Dupe; Son petit coeur is a print by the Impressionist artist Alexandre Charpentier. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right embossed: Alexandre Charpentier; upper left printed: LE THÉATRE LIBRE / Saison 1891-1892; lower left printed: SON PETIT COEUR...; center right printed: LA DUPE...; across bottom printed: Mercredi 27 Novembre 1889.... / De la part de MM. GEORGES ANCEY et LOUIS MARSOLLEAU.
About this work
Look up Charpentier, Alexandre to see how he used this technique in other works.
This is a brown paper poster with raised lines. On the left, a faint outline of a standing nude woman faces right. The paper is textured, like Braille, and the lines are uneven.
The text lists plays and actors for Le Théâtre Libre in 1891. The top play, La Dupe, is a comedy in five acts. The embossed style makes the words and figure pop out when touched.
Look up Charpentier, Alexandre to see how he used this technique in other works.
Overview
La Dupe; Son petit coeur is an 1891 embossing (gaufrage) on brown wove paper by Alexandre Charpentier, featuring a tactile design with raised lines and textured paper.
Subject & Meaning
The work promotes Le Théâtre Libre, listing its 1891 productions, with La Dupe, a five-act comedy, prominently displayed at the top. A faint, embossed outline of a standing nude woman faces right, though her significance in relation to the theater listing is unclear.
Technique & Style
Charpentier employed gaufrage to create a unique, textured piece where raised lines and embossed elements, including the figure and text, are discernible by touch, adding a sensory dimension to the print.
History & Provenance
Created in 1891 for Le Théâtre Libre, specific provenance details (ownership history) are not provided in the available information.
Context
Part of Charpentier's broader experimentation with gaufrage, this work can be contextualized within his other embossed creations, though the nude figure's integration with theatrical advertising is distinctive.
Legacy
The legacy of La Dupe; Son petit coeur is not explicitly outlined in the provided sources, though it reflects Charpentier's innovative use of tactile techniques in early 20th-century printmaking.
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