Artwork

Preliminary Sketch for "The Passage" (La Traversee)

Preliminary Sketch for "The Passage" (La Traversee), by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, graphite, 1872
Preliminary Sketch for "The Passage" (La Traversee), by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, graphite, 1872

Preliminary Sketch for "The Passage" (La Traversee) is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Preliminary Sketch for "The Passage" (La Traversee) is a graphite drawing on laid paper created by Félix-Hilaire Buhot in 1872. It is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington.

Subject & Meaning

The sketch depicts two figures in rough, gestural lines, one wearing a wide-brimmed hat and loose coat, the other with facial features barely discernible. The background features jagged shapes suggestive of trees or rocks.

Technique & Style

The drawing's loose, rapid lines and textured paper convey a sense of spontaneity. The graphite marks reveal the paper's original weave, adding to the work's rough, unpolished quality.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Félix-Hilaire Buhot

Artist

Félix-Hilaire Buhot

Félix-Hilaire Buhot (1847–1898) was a French artist, born in Valognes.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.