Artwork

Les Arabes signalent l'approche de l'armée française

Les Arabes signalent l'approche de l'armée française, by Auguste Raffet, ink, 1837
Les Arabes signalent l'approche de l'armée française, by Auguste Raffet, ink, 1837

Les Arabes signalent l'approche de l'armée française is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Auguste Raffet. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Les Arabes signalent l'approche de l'armée française is a 1837 lithograph on chine collé by Auguste Denis Raffet, a French illustrator and lithographer.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts Arab horsemen on a rocky hillside, watching a distant group, likely the French army, with an air of tension and anticipation. The scene reflects Raffet's focus on the French military campaigns in North Africa.

Technique & Style

The lithograph on chine collé technique lends the image depth and texture, utilizing the rough stone to achieve a detailed representation.

History & Provenance

Raffet trained under Nicolas Toussaint Charlet and was known for his retrospective depictions of the Empire, of which this work is an example.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Auguste Raffet

Artist

Auguste Raffet

Denis Auguste Marie Raffet (2 March 1804 – 16 February 1860) was a French illustrator and lithographer. He was a student of Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, and was a retrospective painter of the Empire.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.