Artwork
Deux croquis
Deux croquis is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri-Charles Guérard. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1895, *Deux croquis* is a lithographic print executed in green ink on delicate china paper. The work comprises a pair of complementary drawings positioned one above the other, each rendered with a spontaneous hand. It exemplifies Henri‑Charles Guérard’s late‑nineteenth‑century interest in the graphic arts, particularly the lithographic medium.
Subject & Meaning
The upper image presents a male head with a short, spiky haircut, rendered in a few decisive strokes that suggest character rather than precise likeness. The lower image shows a gentleman in a top hat, grasping a cane in his right hand, evoking the attire of urban fashion of the period. Together the sketches explore portraiture as a quick, observational study.
Technique & Style
Guérard employed a green lithographic ink, a choice that imparts a warm tonal quality to the paper’s smooth surface. The lines are bold yet fluid, with minimal shading, highlighting the artist’s preference for expressive, gestural drawing. The lithographic process allows subtle textural variations, giving the figures a tactile presence despite the work’s overall simplicity.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Guérard’s mature phase, when he was actively publishing lithographs and etchings in Parisian salons. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has appeared in several catalogues of the artist’s prints and is held in private collections that focus on French graphic art of the 1890s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Henri Charles Guérard (26 April 1846, Paris - 24 March 1897, Paris) was a French painter and printmaker, particularly in etching and lithography.
