La Traversée (The Passage)

Buhot employed a mixture of intaglio processes—etching for broad tonal fields, drypoint for fine, velvety lines, roulette for textured patterns, and soft‑ground for delicate surface effects. These methods intersect to produce varied line quality and depth, allowing the rain, wet stone, and architectural details to emerge with a tactile, gritty realism.

Created in the early 1880s, La Traversée reflects Buhot’s interest in modern cityscapes during a period of rapid industrialization in France. The print has been held in several public collections, though specific acquisition records are limited, indicating its circulation among collectors of 19th‑century French prints.

The work belongs to a broader 19th‑century tradition of depicting contemporary urban life, paralleling the interests of artists such as Gustave Caillebotte and Charles Baudelaire’s literary portrayals of the modern city. Buhot’s focus on weather and movement aligns with the era’s fascination with the fleeting moments of everyday existence.