Artwork

Le bruit de deux sabots traînant... (The sound of two clogs shuffling...)

Le bruit de deux sabots traînant... (The sound of two clogs shuffling...) 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.

About this work

Overview

Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s 1878 print titled *Le bruit de deux sabots traînant…* (The sound of two clogs shuffling…) is executed on moderately thick cream‑wove paper. The work combines etching, drypoint, and roulette to produce a monochrome image that captures a rainy urban scene with a sense of immediacy.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a solitary woman navigating a slick street under an umbrella, flanked by horse‑drawn carriages and a cat perched on the curb. Tall, shadowed façades and spires frame the setting, while the title alludes to the subtle, everyday clatter of wooden shoes, emphasizing ordinary moments within the city’s rhythm.

Technique & Style

Buhot employs a layered approach: etched lines define architectural outlines, drypoint adds incisive, ragged strokes that suggest movement, and roulette stippling creates atmospheric rain and tonal depth. The interplay of crisp contours and textured shading generates a dynamic visual texture, conveying both the physical wetness of the scene and its fleeting soundscape.

History & Provenance

Created in 1878, the print belongs to the late‑19th‑century French printmaking tradition that explored urban realism. While specific ownership records are limited, the work is catalogued among Buhot’s prints that document contemporary Parisian life, reflecting his interest in everyday street scenes and the technical possibilities of mixed intaglio processes.