Artwork
Le feu (Fire)
Le feu (Fire) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart. It dates from 1863 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Le feu (Fire) is an etching and drypoint print on cream laid paper, created by Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart in 1863, depicting a dimly lit, cluttered interior scene centered around a burning hearth.
Subject & Meaning
The print focuses on everyday domesticity, with a fire in the hearth, accompanied by a kettle, teapot, plate, spoon, and broom, evoking a sense of mundane, possibly abandoned, daily activity.
Technique & Style
Jacquemart employed sharp lines and expressive drypoint work to achieve a strong interplay of light and shadow, lending a near-three-dimensional quality to the objects, characteristic of 19th-century approaches to capturing quotidian scenes.
History & Provenance
Created in 1863, specific provenance details are not provided, highlighting the work within the broader context of Jacquemart's oeuvre and 19th-century printmaking techniques.
Context
Le feu reflects the 19th-century artistic interest in depicting everyday life, with its use of etching and drypoint aligning with the period's printmaking practices, which often emphasized detailed, realistic representations of common scenes.
Artist & collection
