Who painted Smoking Strictly Prohibited?

Smoking Strictly Prohibited was painted by Horace Harral in 1868.

Where can I see Smoking Strictly Prohibited?

Smoking Strictly Prohibited is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Smoking Strictly Prohibited?

Smoking Strictly Prohibited is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Smoking Strictly Prohibited

Horace Harral , 1868

Smoking Strictly Prohibited is a print by the Impressionist artist Horace Harral. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1868 by British printmaker Horace Harral, “Smoking Strictly Prohibited” is a modestly sized ink drawing held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work captures a brief, informal moment between two figures in a dimly lit interior, offering a glimpse of everyday life in the late nineteenth century.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a man in a top hat, pipe in hand, seated beside a second figure who rests a book or sheet of paper on his lap. Their close proximity and the title’s admonition suggest a quiet, perhaps private, exchange that juxtaposes social etiquette with the informal act of smoking, hinting at subtle commentary on public versus private behavior.

Technique & Style

Harral employs rapid, sketchy lines and a loose, scratchy touch that convey immediacy rather than polished finish. This approach aligns with the realist tendency of the 1860s to record fleeting, ordinary scenes with minimal embellishment, emphasizing gesture and atmosphere over precise detail.

History & Provenance

The print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, though the exact path from Harral’s workshop to the museum remains undocumented. Its presence in the collection reflects the institution’s interest in British printmaking and everyday genre subjects from the Victorian era.

Artist & collection

Artist

Horace Harral

Horace Downey Harral was a British wood-engraver, etcher and photographer. He was a pupil of John Orrin Smith and later joined him as a partner in an engraving firm. Harral produced prints of many Pre-Raphaelite…