Artwork
Le jour
Le jour is an ink print by the Baroque artist Charles Emmanuel Patas. It dates from 1773 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Le jour is a black‑and‑white print executed by Charles Emmanuel Patas in 1773. The work is an engraving that depicts an interior gathering of four figures dressed in period costume, arranged around a central female figure who holds a fan. The composition includes a mirror, a chair and a curtained window, providing a sense of depth and domestic refinement.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents a genteel social encounter: a woman in an elaborate dress occupies the centre, while two men converse nearby—one accompanied by a small dog, the other leaning in as if listening. A third figure, seated in the background, looks away, suggesting a moment of private dialogue within a cultivated interior.
Technique & Style
Patas employed etching, a printmaking process that uses acid to bite fine lines into a metal plate, allowing for delicate texture and precise detail. The method was widely used in the late Baroque era, a period noted for its interest in intricate interiors and expressive, narrative compositions.
History & Provenance
Created in 1773, the print belongs to Patas’s oeuvre of 18th‑century French engravings. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has been catalogued in collections of European prints and is referenced in scholarly listings of Baroque-era graphic art.
Artist & collection
