Artwork
Les Frères Conduisent les Enfants, à St. Nicolas des Champs

Les Frères Conduisent les Enfants, à St. Nicolas des Champs is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jean Henri Marlet. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Les Frères Conduisent les Enfants, à St.
About this work
Overview
Les Frères Conduisent les Enfants, à St. Nicolas des Champs is a 1808 lithograph on buff chine collé by French artist Jean-Henri Marlet, depicting a scene of adults leading children in a courtyard setting, characterized by a prominent stone building with an arched doorway and triangular roof.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a group of adults guiding a line of children, possibly into a building, amidst a courtyard with stone tiles. The subjects are dressed in antiquated attire, including hats and long coats, with some carrying baskets or bags. The scene conveys a sense of orderly procession or ritual, though the specific context or event remains ambiguous.
Technique & Style
Marlet employed lithography on buff chine collé, an innovative technique for his time, reflecting his early adoption of the medium among French artists. The style aligns with patriotic and vivid imagery prevalent during the Bourbon Restoration, drawing parallels with contemporaries like Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet and Auguste Raffet.
History & Provenance
Created in 1808, the lithograph was produced in the studios of Lasteyrie or Engelmann before Marlet began self-printing his works from 1822 to 1832. Specific provenance details for this piece are not provided.
Context
The work reflects Marlet's engagement with themes of his era, situated within the artistic and political climate of the Bourbon Restoration. The setting, St. Nicolas des Champs, suggests a potentially religious or communal context for the depicted scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Henri Marlet, aka Jean Henry Marlet (18 November 1771 – 1847), was a French painter and engraver.
















