Cholera in Paris

1865

François-Nicolas Chifflart

Associated Names
François-Nicolas Chifflart

Artist, French, 1825 - 1901

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching with drypoint on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

  • Dimensions

    plate: 23 × 31.6 cm (9 1/16 × 12 7/16 in.)
    sheet: 30.9 × 44.8 cm (12 3/16 × 17 5/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2002.136.8

  • Series Title

    Improvisations sur cuivre

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
This is a illustration of a stone slab or monument with various figures around it. In the center, there is a large stone block with the text "Improvisations sur Cuivre par F. Chifflart." On top of the block, a winged figure is draped across it with a contemplative expression, arms folded. To the right stands a muscular figure reaching upwards with one arm. On the left, a figure with long hair leans against the block. Creative objects like an artist's palette and brushes are depicted below the block. The piece features sharp lines and dramatic contrasts, giving it a dynamic appearance.

Frontispiece

François-Nicolas Chifflart

1825

Improvisations sur cuivre

François-Nicolas Chifflart, Auguste Delâtre

1825

This is a drawing of an allegorical scene with mythical figures. The image portrays a central towering structure adorned with muscular, half-nude figures holding up a pedestal. On the pedestal, a seated figure holding a scale is depicted. Another figure stands slightly higher with raised arms, supported by wings. The figures below are depicted in a classical style. In the background, softly sketched scenes of an ancient landscape or ruins can be seen. The artist's signature is visible in the top left corner.

The Triumph of Justice and Truth

François-Nicolas Chifflart

1825

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

French private collection. (Artemis, Paris); purchased by NGA, 2002.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2009

  • The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Smart Museum of Art, Chicago, 2009 - 2010

2026

  • Shadow Visionaries: French Artists Against the Current, 1840-70, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, 2025-2026, cat. no. 15, repro.

Bibliography

2025

  • Leonard, Anne, editor. Shadow Visionaries: French Artists Against the Current, 1840-70. Exh. cat. Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, 2025-2026: cat. no. 15, fig. 109, 134.

Inscriptions

upper left in plate: F. Chifflart

Markings

none.

Watermarks

none.

Wikidata ID

Q76340104

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