Who painted Boubouroche; Valet de coeur?

Boubouroche; Valet de coeur was painted by Henri-Gabriel Ibels in 1893.

Where can I see Boubouroche; Valet de coeur?

Boubouroche; Valet de coeur is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Boubouroche; Valet de coeur?

Boubouroche; Valet de coeur is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Boubouroche; Valet de coeur

Henri-Gabriel Ibels , 1893

Boubouroche; Valet de coeur 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.

About this work

Overview

Henri‑Gabriel Ibels produced the color lithograph Boubouroche; Valet de coeur in 1893. The work functions as a theatrical poster, announcing two contemporary plays of the same name. Printed on wove paper, the image combines bold, flat areas of color with simplified forms, characteristic of late‑nineteenth‑century French graphic design.

Subject & Meaning

The lower portion of the poster depicts a pair of figures standing close, their faces indistinct and hands intertwined, suggesting a romantic or comedic liaison central to the plays’ plots. Above them, a stylised landscape of a yellow field, a bridge and a stage framed by a red curtain creates a theatrical setting, reinforcing the work’s promotional purpose.

Technique & Style

Ibels employed the lithographic process, which allows successive colour layers to be printed from separate stones. This method yields a surface that is simultaneously precise in its flat colour zones and textured in its line work, producing a visual tension between clarity and roughness that typifies the artist’s graphic approach.

History & Provenance

Created during the vibrant Belle Époque period, the lithograph was likely commissioned by a Parisian theatre to advertise the productions. While specific ownership records are scarce, similar Ibels prints have circulated in private collections and museum holdings that focus on French poster art of the 1890s.