Artwork

Journée du 10 Aout 1792

Journée du 10 Aout 1792, by Antoine-Jean Duclos, ink, 1793
Journée du 10 Aout 1792, by Antoine-Jean Duclos, ink, 1793

Journée du 10 Aout 1792 is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Antoine-Jean Duclos. It dates from 1793 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Journée du 10 Août 1792 is an 1793 print by Antoine‑Jean Duclos.

About this work

Overview

Journée du 10 Août 1792 is an 1793 print by Antoine‑Jean Duclos. Executed as an etching on laid paper, the work records a violent episode in the streets of Paris during the revolutionary upheavals of that year. The image captures a moment of chaotic combat, with soldiers and civilians locked together amid smoke and fire.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a densely packed street where armed men and ordinary passersby clash. Smoke billows from burning structures in the distance, while rifles and bayonets jut in multiple directions, emphasizing the disorder and desperation of the scene. The work functions as a visual testimony to the turbulence of the early French Republic.

Technique & Style

Duclos employed traditional intaglio methods, incising lines into a copper plate before inking and pressing it onto laid paper. The resulting marks produce stark contrasts of deep shadow and bright highlight, reinforcing the sense of immediacy and tension. The fine hatching and cross‑hatching convey texture in smoke, clothing, and weaponry.

History & Provenance

Created a year after the events it portrays, the etching was likely circulated among contemporary audiences as a documentary image of the August 10 uprising. It remains in the collections of several European institutions, where it is cited as an early example of revolutionary printmaking that blends reportage with artistic expression.

Artist & collection

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