Artwork
Égalité
Égalité is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Henry Bacon. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1895, *Égalité* is an oil painting by American artist Henry Bacon, who had served as a Union soldier before turning to art. Executed while Bacon was linked to the Pont‑Aven circle in France, the work captures a bustling urban street scene. It is part of the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a crowded street where a green tram dominates the foreground, its interior filled with passengers of varied posture and direction. Signage on the vehicle reads “Pantheon” and “Exposit,” while a side panel bears the name “Cainclet.” Beyond the tram, a cityscape with buildings and a horse‑drawn carriage suggests the rhythm of late‑19th‑century French life.
Technique & Style
Bacon employs oil paint to achieve a rich surface quality, allowing subtle modulation of light and texture. The palette balances vivid greens of the tram with muted urban tones, while the composition guides the eye from the bustling vehicle to the distant architecture. The handling reflects post‑impressionist concerns for color vibration and dynamic movement.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the American market and eventually was acquired by the Brooklyn Museum, where it remains on view. Its creation during Bacon’s Pont‑Aven period links the work to a broader exchange between American expatriate artists and French avant‑garde circles of the 1890s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Henry Bacon (8 October 1839 – 13 March 1912) was an American painter, author, illustrator, and translator.
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