Artwork
Les Bouquets, ou la Fête de la Grand-Maman
Les Bouquets, ou la Fête de la Grand-Maman is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Philibert-Louis Debucourt. It dates from 1788 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Philibert‑Louis Debucourt’s print *Les Bouquets, ou la Fête de la Grand‑Maman* was executed in 1788.
About this work
Overview
Philibert‑Louis Debucourt’s print *Les Bouquets, ou la Fête de la Grand‑Maman* was executed in 1788. It is a colour etching with wash on wove paper, classified as a single‑sheet print. The work presents an intimate domestic scene illuminated by natural light, populated by several figures engaged in a celebratory gathering.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a grandmother seated in a white cap, cradling an infant, while a man in a dark coat leans toward her. Nearby, a woman in blue, a girl in a light dress, and other family members arrange flowers on a table that includes a mirror. The title, *Les Bouquets*, suggests a festive occasion centred on the matriarch, emphasizing familial affection and the ritual of flower‑giving.
Technique & Style
Debucourt combined line etching with delicate wash to render textures of fabric and skin, employing fine hatching to model light and shadow. The use of colour adds a soft, luminous quality, while the wash enhances depth in the interior space. The overall effect balances precise draftsmanship with a gentle tonal palette characteristic of late‑eighteenth‑century French printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created just before the French Revolution, the print reflects the domestic genre popular among Parisian audiences of the period. It was issued as a single impression and later included in several collections of French prints, though specific ownership records remain limited. The work continues to be cited in catalogues of Debucourt’s oeuvre as an example of his narrative prints.
Context
In the 1780s, French artists increasingly explored everyday life scenes, moving away from grand historical subjects. Debucourt’s *Les Bouquets* aligns with this trend, portraying middle‑class domesticity with a level of detail that appealed to contemporary collectors interested in genre imagery and the visual documentation of family rituals.
Artist & collection
Artist
Philibert-Louis Debucourt (1755–1832) was a French artist, born in Paris.
Le seducteur
La lecon interrompue
Les Plaisirs paternels (Paternal Pleasures)
Les Présents du jour de l'an
Le contretemps
Le dejeuner anglais
A Harlot's Progress: pl.6
The Copley Family
Les Compliments du jour de l'an
Le bouquet
Le Compliment ou La Matinée du jour de l'an (The Compliment or New Year's Morning)