Who painted Les Adieux?

Les Adieux was painted by Félix-Hilaire Buhot in 1874.

Where can I see Les Adieux?

Les Adieux is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Les Adieux?

Les Adieux is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Les Adieux

Félix-Hilaire Buhot , 1874

Les Adieux is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Light streams from a window behind them, while a mirror on the wall catches their reflected silhouettes, giving the scene a quiet, intimate atmosphere.

Created in 1874, *Les Adieux* is a print by French artist Félix‑Hilaire Buhot that combines etching, aquatint and dry‑point on laid paper. The composition is dominated by a dimly lit interior where a man, his coat rendered in deep, velvety strokes, cradles a woman and a child. Light streams from a window behind them, while a mirror on the wall catches their reflected silhouettes, giving the scene a quiet, intimate atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The central figures suggest a moment of parting, hinted at by the title, which translates as "The Farewell." The man's turned back and the protective embrace of the woman and child convey a sense of departure or loss. The surrounding sketch‑like margins, filled with fragmented faces, waves and swirling lines, may echo the emotional turbulence that accompanies such a goodbye, though the exact narrative remains open to interpretation.

Technique & Style

Buhot employed a layered approach: the primary image was etched to define outlines, then enriched with aquatint to achieve soft, atmospheric tones, while dry‑point added fine, velvety lines that capture the texture of the coat and the delicate features of the figures. The uneven edges of the paper and the rapid, gestural marks in the border area give the work a spontaneous, almost unfinished quality, contrasting with the careful rendering of the interior scene.

History & Provenance

The print was produced in the early years of Buhot's career, a period when he explored the expressive possibilities of printmaking in France. While specific details of its exhibition history are scarce, *Les Adieux* has been catalogued among his 1870s works and appears in several collections of 19th‑century French prints, illustrating the artist's interest in intimate domestic moments rendered through innovative print techniques.