Artwork
A Bullier (To Bullier's)
A Bullier (To Bullier's) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1876 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jean‑Louis Forain’s print *A Bullier (To Bullier’s)* is a colour etching on wove paper dating from roughly 1876.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Louis Forain’s print *A Bullier (To Bullier’s)* is a colour etching on wove paper dating from roughly 1876. Executed during the artist’s early career, the work captures a brief, informal moment inside the fashionable Bullier dance hall, a well‑known Parisian venue of the late nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents two women standing close together. One is dressed in a dark coat and a broad‑brimmed hat; the other wears a checked dress topped by a smaller hat. Their faces are rendered with minimal detail, emphasizing gesture and proximity rather than individual identity, suggesting a fleeting social encounter typical of the lively dance hall atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Forain combined traditional etching with ink washes to achieve varied textures, particularly in the treatment of clothing folds and hair. The lines are loose and sketch‑like, giving the image a sense of immediacy, as if captured in a rapid, observational sketch rather than a fully finished tableau.
History & Provenance
Forain, a French painter and printmaker associated with the Impressionist circle, produced a range of works in oil, watercolor, pastel, lithography and etching. While he enjoyed commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation has waned relative to more celebrated contemporaries. The print’s provenance traces back to the artist’s own workshop, though later ownership records are limited.
Context
The Bullier dance hall was a popular gathering place for Parisians in the 1870s, frequented by artists, writers and the emerging middle class. Forain’s choice of this setting reflects his interest in contemporary urban life and the leisure activities that defined modern Parisian culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Louis Forain (French pronunciation: ; 23 October 1852 – 11 July 1931) was a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, working in media including oils, watercolour, pastel, etching and lithograph.
The Encounter (Recontre)
The Folies-Bergère
Le Traite des blanches (The White Slave Trade)
Le Traite des blanches (The White Slave Trade)
Afternoon Tea
Two Women before a Mirror
Promenade (Promenoir)
Errand Girls (Trottins)
At the Concert (Au concert)
The Hatpin (Berthe Morisot's Daughter and Her Cousin), 1st plate
Le Cafe
A Bullier (To Bullier's)