Artwork
Jean Baptiste Isabey
Jean Baptiste Isabey is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paul Gavarni. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The painting depicts a man standing in a landscape, wearing a long coat and holding a top hat and cane.
The painting depicts a man standing in a landscape, wearing a long coat and holding a top hat and cane. He has a white beard and hair, and is looking to the right. The background is a hilly landscape with trees and bushes.
The man's attire and the style of the painting suggest that it is a portrait from the 19th century. The use of lithography on chine collé gives the image a sense of depth and texture.
This painting is a great example of the work of artist Gavarni, Paul.
Overview
Paul Gavarni’s lithograph titled *Jean Baptiste Isabey* was produced in 1854. Executed in lithographic ink on a chine collé support, the print presents a standing figure in a landscape setting. The work is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C., and exemplifies mid‑nineteenth‑century French printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a bearded gentleman in a long coat, holding a top hat and cane, gazing to his right amid a gently rolling, treed terrain. The sitter is identified as Jean‑Baptiste Isabey, a noted French painter and miniaturist, suggesting the portrait serves both as a personal likeness and a tribute to his artistic reputation.
Technique & Style
Gavarni employed lithography on chine collé, a method that adheres a thin sheet of fine paper to a sturdier backing, creating subtle depth and a delicate surface texture. The ink work balances fine line work with broader tonal areas, rendering the figure’s attire and the surrounding foliage with a restrained yet expressive hand typical of Gavarni’s illustrative style.
History & Provenance
Created during Gavarni’s most productive period, the print reflects his engagement with portraiture beyond his usual satirical illustrations. After its original issue, the lithograph entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it remains accessible for study of both Gavarni’s oeuvre and nineteenth‑century French print culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Gavarni was the pen name of Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (13 January 1804 – 24 November 1866), a French illustrator, born in Paris.
