One of eleven paintings of trades and occupations
1870
gouache
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1870
gouache
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
One of eleven paintings of trades and occupations is a 1870 gouache by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a person at work, doing a specific job. It's one of a set of paintings about different trades and occupations. These paintings were made on mica, a shiny mineral, which was a unique material at the time. The use of mica made them special and desirable to the British, who bought them as souvenirs, and you can learn more about this technique by looking at the work of artists who used gouache.
A gouache painting on mica depicts acrobats performing, featuring a male figure suspended in midair by a rope tied around his waist, while a female figure balances atop a tall pole and holds the rope’s other end. Four additional figures appear below, including one in a bird costume, one standing on his hands, and one playing a drum.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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