Artwork
The Vulture
The Vulture is a print by Félix Bracquemond. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Félix Bracquemond’s 1904 etching titled The Vulture is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The print presents a solitary bird perched upon a craggy stone, its body compact and its wings drawn close to its sides. The composition is rendered in fine line work that emphasizes the bird’s plumage and the rugged terrain beneath it.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a vulture in a moment of stillness, its head turned slightly to the left as if surveying its surroundings. By focusing on the creature’s talons gripping the rock and the detailed feathering, the work invites contemplation of the bird’s role as a scavenger and its association with desolate, harsh environments.
Technique & Style
Bracquemond employed the etching process to achieve a network of precise, incised lines that delineate the texture of both feathers and stone.
Bracquemond employed the etching process to achieve a network of precise, incised lines that delineate the texture of both feathers and stone. Careful cross‑hatching creates subtle gradations of tone, producing a chiaroscuro effect that models form and depth without the use of color. The overall style reflects a meticulous attention to surface detail characteristic of late‑19th‑century French printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created in 1904, The Vulture entered the holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on display. The print’s acquisition history is recorded in the museum’s catalogues, confirming its provenance and situating it within Bracquemond’s broader oeuvre of animal studies and landscape etchings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Félix Henri Bracquemond (French pronunciation: ; 22 May 1833 – 29 October 1914) was a French painter, etcher, and printmaker.
