Artwork

On allume les cierges pour les Morts (They light candles for the dead)

On allume les cierges pour les Morts (They light candles for the dead) 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, On allume les cierges pour les Morts (They light candles for the dead), is executed in black on Japanese paper.

Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s 1878 print, On allume les cierges pour les Morts (They light candles for the dead), is executed in black on Japanese paper. The work combines etching, dry‑point and roulette, producing a finely detailed image that balances line and tone. Its composition presents a quiet, nocturnal landscape dominated by a silhouetted structure and a solitary figure, set against a cloud‑laden sky.

Subject & Meaning

The scene conveys a somber ritual: a lone individual stands before a dimly lit building, while distant birds traverse the overcast heavens. A faint figure on a hill gazes toward the sea, suggesting contemplation of mortality and the passage of time. The title’s reference to lighting candles for the dead reinforces the work’s meditation on remembrance and the transience of life.

Technique & Style

Buhot employs a combination of traditional etching, dry‑point, and roulette to achieve varied textures. The dry‑point lines create soft, velvety shadows, while the roulette adds stippled tonal areas that suggest cloud cover and atmospheric depth. The choice of Japanese paper enhances the delicacy of the marks, allowing subtle gradations of black to emerge within the overall monochrome palette.

History & Provenance

Created in 1878, the print reflects Buhot’s interest in atmospheric landscapes and symbolic subjects during the late nineteenth century. It was issued as part of his series of experimental prints that explored the possibilities of mixed intaglio techniques. The work has since appeared in several public and private collections, documenting its continued relevance to studies of French printmaking of the period.