Artwork

Actualités: Venez! ...sortez d'la! ... c'est fini! on n'entend plus parler que de paix!...

Actualités: Venez! ...sortez d'la! ... c'est fini! on n'entend plus parler que de paix!... is a print by the Romanticist artist Clémente Pruche. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1840, this print by Clémente Pruche is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. The work bears the title that references contemporary news and a call for peace, reflecting the social climate of its time. Its modest size and graphic quality place it within the realm of 19th‑century French printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a domestic interior: a woman in a long dress and apron sweeps the floor while a man, hat and coat on, peers out from a fireplace opening. A wall sign reading “PARLE Z’O PORTIÉES” adds a textual element, suggesting a moment of everyday conversation interrupted by external news, perhaps alluding to the public’s yearning for peace.

Technique & Style

Executed as a print, the image relies on line work and contrast to render figures and interior details. The composition balances the sweeping motion of the broom with the static, curious gaze of the man, employing a straightforward realism typical of mid‑century French genre prints, yet the title’s emotive phrasing hints at Romantic sensibilities.

History & Provenance

Clémente Pruche, an artist active in the early 19th century, produced this work circa 1840. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition, though the precise path of ownership before its museum entry remains undocumented in publicly available records.

Context

The title’s reference to “peace” and the phrase “Venez! …sortez d’la!” echo the turbulent political atmosphere of post‑Napoleonic France, when public discourse often shifted between conflict and calls for reconciliation. The domestic setting underscores how such broader concerns filtered into everyday life, a common theme in genre scenes of the period.