Who painted A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile?

A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile was painted by Henri-Gabriel Ibels in 1893.

Where can I see A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile?

A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile?

A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile

Henri-Gabriel Ibels , 1893

A Bas Le Progrès!; Mademoiselle Julie; Le Ménage Brésile is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri-Gabriel Ibels. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Henri‑Gabriel Ibels’ lithograph A Bas Le Progrès!

About this work

Overview

The composition captures a dense crowd of figures in dark coats topped with vivid red hats, some engaged in music, others gathered around a modest stage.

Henri‑Gabriel Ibels’ lithograph A Bas Le Progrès! ; Mademoiselle Julie ; Le Ménage Brésile, executed in 1893, presents a bustling street tableau rendered in four‑color lithography on laid paper. The composition captures a dense crowd of figures in dark coats topped with vivid red hats, some engaged in music, others gathered around a modest stage. The print’s palette of reds, blues and yellows is applied with a loose, sketch‑like vigor that emphasizes movement.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a lively urban gathering, likely a public celebration or fair, where musicians on brass instruments provide a soundtrack to the commotion. The juxtaposition of somber attire with striking headwear suggests a blend of ordinary laborers and festive participants, hinting at the social contrasts of late‑nineteenth‑century Parisian life.

Technique & Style

Created as a proof before lettering, the work employs the lithographic process to layer four separate inks, each printed in registration to achieve the bold chromatic contrasts. Ibels’ handling of line remains spontaneous, with visible, gestural strokes that convey immediacy, while the limited palette is pushed to its limits through overlapping washes of red, blue and yellow.

History & Provenance

The lithograph was produced in 1893, a period when Ibels was active in the Montmartre artistic circles and contributing to avant‑garde publications. As a proof before the addition of textual elements, this version likely served as a test print for a larger edition, though its subsequent ownership trail remains undocumented in public records.