Artwork
La Place Pigalle en 1878 (Place Pigalle in 1878)
La Place Pigalle en 1878 (Place Pigalle in 1878) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1878 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s 1878 print, titled *La Place Pigalle en 1878*, depicts a lively Parisian thoroughfare.
About this work
Overview
Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s 1878 print, titled *La Place Pigalle en 1878*, depicts a lively Parisian thoroughfare. Executed in black on toned paper, the work combines several intaglio methods to render a bustling urban scene that captures a moment of everyday activity on the famed Place Pigalle.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a circular stone feature—interpreted as a fountain or well—surrounded by pedestrians, a seated figure, and a flow of horses and carriages. Buildings line the background, punctuated by a streetlamp, together conveying the kinetic energy of late‑nineteenth‑century city life.
Technique & Style
Buhot employs a mix of etching, aquatint, drypoint, and roulette to achieve a range of tonal values and fine line work. The monochrome palette, applied to a toned paper, emphasizes contrast and texture, aligning the piece with Impressionist concerns for fleeting impressions of modernity.
Context
Created during a period when Paris was undergoing rapid transformation, the print reflects contemporary interest in documenting urban environments. Buhot’s choice of place—Pigalle, a district known for its nightlife and commerce—situates the work within broader artistic explorations of the city’s social and spatial dynamics.
Artist & collection
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