Artwork

Crinolinographies (Costume de la magistrature proposé pour 1857)

Crinolinographies (Costume de la magistrature proposé pour 1857) is a print by the Impressionist artist Félicien Rops. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1941.158
Credit line: Twenty-fifth anniversary gift, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. Williams Collection

About this work

Their faces are blurred, and one holds a rolled-up paper while the other adjusts his gloves.

This sketch shows two men in long, formal coats and hats, standing side by side. Their faces are blurred, and one holds a rolled-up paper while the other adjusts his gloves. The background is simple, with a faint door and a bench. The drawing looks rough, almost like a quick study.

The title says it’s meant to show proposed courtroom clothes for 1857. The style feels loose and sketchy, not polished, like a draft rather than a finished work.

Next, check out Félicien Rops to see more of his sharp, playful drawings.

Overview

Crinolinographies (Costume de la magistrature proposé pour 1857) is a print created by Félicien Rops in 1856. It is a satirical design for a magistrate's costume, characteristic of Rops' work as a printmaker and caricaturist.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts two men in formal attire, with blurred faces, engaged in everyday actions. The title suggests it is a proposed design for courtroom clothing, and the satirical tone implies commentary on the judicial system or social norms of the time.

Technique & Style

The drawing is loose and sketchy, with simple backgrounds and rough lines. The style is suggestive of a quick study or draft rather than a polished, finished work, reflecting Rops' use of intaglio techniques and his background as a caricaturist.

History & Provenance

Félicien Rops was a Belgian artist associated with the Les XX group and the Parisian fin de siècle. He worked in various mediums, including painting, illustration, and printmaking, and was respected among his bohemian peers for his graphic satire.

Les crétins! ... On leur peint un tableau ..., Honoré Daumier

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Artist & collection

Artist

Félicien Rops

Félicien Victor Joseph Rops (French: ; 7 July 1833 – 23 August 1898) was a Belgian artist associated with Symbolism, Decadence, and the Parisian fin de siècle, and was a member of the Les XX group.