Artwork
Salamander (La Salamandre)
Salamander (La Salamandre) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Pierre Roche. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:outside image, at top right: 119.44; below image, at right: no 52 Pierre Roche; at bottom right corner of the sheet, in later hand: Pierre Roche / Le Lezard / Lithographie originale / en couleurs; below image, at center, blind-stamped: L'ESTAMPE / ORIGINALE
About this work
Overview
Pierre Roche's Salamander (La Salamandre), created in 1895, is a color lithograph on Japanese paper, exemplifying the artist's versatility across multiple mediums.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a single, dark salamander clinging to a vine with small, softly rendered leaves in greens and light browns, set against a plain background, emphasizing the intimate interaction between the creature and its foliage.
Technique & Style
Characterized by loose, quickly drawn lines, the lithograph showcases Roche's attention to detail in textures and small elements, such as leaf patterns and the salamander's skin, achieved through the lithographic process on Japanese paper.
History & Provenance
Roche, initially a medical student, transitioned to art, studying at Académie Julian under Alfred Roll. He exhibited at the Paris Salon (1884-1889) before expanding into sculpture, influenced by Jules Dalou, with Salamander reflecting his late 19th-century printmaking and decorative arts practice.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre Roche (Paris, 2 August 1855 – Paris, 18 January 1922), pseudonym of Pierre Henry Ferdinand Massignon, was a French sculptor, painter, ceramist and medallist.
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