Artwork
Ma chemise brule
Ma chemise brule is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Auguste-Claude-Simon Legrand. It dates from 1789 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
August Claude‑Simon Legrand’s print *Ma chemise brûlée* (1789) is a stipple‑etched work that presents an interior scene populated by three elegantly dressed women. The composition is framed by curtains and a doorway that admits daylight, while a fireplace, dresser, and scattered objects complete the domestic setting.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure reclines on a disordered bed, fanning herself with an expression of irritation, suggesting the literal complaint of a burning chemise. A second woman pours water from a jug, and a third attends to a cat on the floor, creating a narrative of domestic mishap and the fleeting discomfort of a sudden flare.
Technique & Style
Legrand employed a scratchy stipple and etching technique, using fine dots and incised lines to render texture and light. The method allows subtle gradations of tone, particularly in the fabric folds and the glow of the candle, while the rough line work conveys the immediacy of the scene’s action.
History & Provenance
Created in the year of the French Revolution’s outset, the print reflects contemporary tastes for genre scenes that blend humor with everyday life. It was issued as a single‑plate print and later circulated among collectors of French prints; existing copies are documented in several European museum collections.
Artist & collection
