Who painted The Deciding Throw?

The Deciding Throw was painted by Alexandre Gabriel Decamps in 1840.

Where can I see The Deciding Throw?

The Deciding Throw is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Deciding Throw?

The Deciding Throw is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of The Deciding Throw?

Museum-quality prints of The Deciding Throw are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Deciding Throw

Alexandre Gabriel Decamps , 1840

The Deciding Throw is a print by the Romanticist artist Alexandre Gabriel Decamps. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Alexandre‑Gabriel Decamps produced the print titled *The Deciding Throw* in 1840. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Executed as a single‑sheet print, it presents a compact scene rendered in a modest scale, typical of Decamps’s interest in everyday subjects.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts four figures gathered on a riverbank: a young woman in a light dress, a child perched on a log, an older man crouched near the water, and a dog lying nearby. The title suggests a moment of choice or chance, perhaps a game of chance or a decisive action, inviting viewers to infer narrative from the ordinary setting.

Technique & Style

Decamps employs a sketch‑like line quality, with loose, gestural strokes that convey the texture of dry grass, stones, and water. The print’s tonal contrasts are modest, emphasizing the immediacy of the scene rather than elaborate detail, aligning with the Romantic tendency to evoke mood through simple, evocative imagery.

History & Provenance

Created in the early nineteenth century, *The Deciding Throw* entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, though the precise path of ownership prior to that remains undocumented in public records. Its presence in the museum reflects the institution’s broader commitment to representing French Romantic printmaking.