Artwork
The Storming of the Bastille, July 14, 1789
The Storming of the Bastille, July 14, 1789 is a print by the Romanticist artist Charles Thévenin. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
This painting shows a crowd of people attacking a big building, the Bastille prison.
The event happened in 1789, a key moment in the French Revolution. It's interesting that the artist, Charles Thévenin, drew this scene directly onto an etching plate, which is not how most artists worked at the time.
You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique of chiaroscuro.
Overview
The Storming of the Bastille, July 14, 1789 is an etching by Charles Thévenin, a history painter, depicting a pivotal event in the French Revolution.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a crowd attacking the Bastille prison, a symbol of the French monarchy's power. The scene represents a turning point in the Revolution, capturing the excitement and emotional spirit of the event.
Technique & Style
Thévenin drew his composition directly onto the etching plate, a departure from the typical practice of artists creating paintings that were later engraved by others. The etching employs chiaroscuro, a technique using strong contrasts of light and dark.
History & Provenance
The etching was created by an artist who claimed to have witnessed the event firsthand. A contemporary newspaper announcement praised its ability to convey the emotional spirit of the revolutionary event.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Thévenin (12 July 1764 – 28 February 1838) was a neoclassical French painter, known for heroic scenes from the time of the French Revolution and First French Empire.
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Prise de la Bastille, le 14 Juillet 1789