Artwork
At the Square
At the Square is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri Jacques Edouard Evenepoel. It dates from 1897 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri Jacques Édouard Evenepoel’s 1897 lithograph titled At the Square presents a bustling street scene rendered in vivid color. Executed on wove paper, the print captures a moment of everyday life with a focus on movement and bright hues, characteristic of the artist’s late‑19th‑century approach to urban genre subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman strolling beneath a scarlet umbrella, clutching a red flower in one hand and a parasol in the other. She wears a blue‑and‑white striped dress paired with a flowing orange‑yellow skirt that trails behind her. Near her, a young girl in a yellow frock and red hat holds a red pail, suggesting a shared domestic activity within a public space.
Technique & Style
Evenepoel employed the lithographic process, which allows for the direct drawing of images onto a stone or metal surface and the subsequent transfer of bold, flat colors onto paper. The print’s strong outlines and saturated palette emphasize the dynamism of the figures, especially the movement of the woman’s skirt, while maintaining a graphic clarity typical of turn‑of‑the‑century lithography.
History & Provenance
Created in 1897, At the Square reflects the period’s interest in depicting modern urban life. The work has been catalogued among Evenepoel’s prints that document everyday scenes, though specific ownership records beyond its initial exhibition remain limited.
Context
The late 19th century saw a rise in color lithography as a popular medium for both artistic expression and commercial illustration. Evenepoel’s choice of this technique aligns with contemporary trends that favored accessible, reproducible artworks depicting contemporary social settings.
Artist & collection
