Artwork
La Culbute (The Tumble)
La Culbute (The Tumble) is an ink print by the Baroque artist François-Philippe Charpentier. It dates from 1766 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
La Culbute (The Tumble) is a 1766 print by François-Philippe Charpentier, a French engraver and inventor. Created using etching and aquatint on laid paper, it showcases Charpentier's technical innovations in printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a chaotic scene with figures in various states of distress, including a person falling from a ladder and a woman reacting in a doorway. The setting is a rustic building with scattered objects, conveying a sense of sudden commotion.
Technique & Style
Charpentier's use of etching and aquatint creates texture and depth, while the brown ink adds a warm tone. The techniques employed contribute to the overall energy and movement in the scene.
History & Provenance
Charpentier, born in 1734 in Blois, was trained in Paris after leaving a Jesuit college. He developed early innovations in aquatint engraving, reflected in this 1766 work.
Artist & collection
Artist
François-Philippe Charpentier (b. Blois, 1734; d. there 22 July 1817) was a French engraver and inventor. His father was a bookbinder, a poor man who reportedly made many sacrifices so that his son might attend the…
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Esquisse d’un tombeau (Sketch for a Tomb)
The Tumble
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Étude de Mandiants (Study of Beggars)
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Alpine Landscape
