Artwork
La supplicié (The Executed)
La supplicié (The Executed) 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. Henri‑Charles Guérard’s 1895 print *La supplicié* (The Executed) is executed in brown‑black etching and aquatint on a sheet of Japan paper.
About this work
Overview
Henri‑Charles Guérard’s 1895 print *La supplicié* (The Executed) is executed in brown‑black etching and aquatint on a sheet of Japan paper.
Henri‑Charles Guérard’s 1895 print *La supplicié* (The Executed) is executed in brown‑black etching and aquatint on a sheet of Japan paper. The work presents a stark, nocturnal tableau dominated by deep shadows, in which a contorted figure lies on the ground, gazing upward toward a tall post capped with a crossbar. The surrounding space recedes into near‑blackness, hinted at only by faint linear marks that suggest a wall or fence.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a solitary individual whose twisted visage conveys anguish and helplessness. The upward glance toward the upright pole evokes a sense of impending judgment or punishment, reinforcing the title’s reference to execution. The minimal background strips away narrative detail, focusing the viewer’s attention on the figure’s suffering and the stark symbolism of the cross‑like structure.
Technique & Style
Guérard employed a combination of intaglio etching and aquatint to achieve a rich tonal range. The metal plate was incised to define the figure’s outline, while aquatint was used to build up the deep, velvety shadows that dominate the scene. The brown‑black palette and the textured surface of Japan paper contribute to the work’s somber atmosphere, characteristic of late‑19th‑century French printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created during Guérard’s active period in Paris, *La supplicié* reflects his engagement with the revival of etching and lithography in the 1890s. While specific ownership records are limited, the print has been documented in several catalogues of Guérard’s oeuvre and appears in collections that focus on French Symbolist and realist print works of the fin de siècle.
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.
