Frontispiece for "Zigzags d'un Curieux, d'Octave Uzanne"

1888

Félix-Hilaire Buhot

Associated Names
Félix-Hilaire Buhot

Artist, French, 1847 - 1898

This is a drawing of a cover and surrounding illustrations for a publication titled "Zigzags d'un Curieux." The drawing features intricate line work depicting a central illustration framed by an elaborate border filled with various figures, creatures, and decorative elements. The central panel shows an individual at a table reading, an owl nearby, and bats flying overhead. Below this scene, a small horse and various botanical and fantasy motifs decorate the border. The top features stylized text of the title and the author's name, Octave Uzanne. The composition is detailed and dense with visual information, suggesting themes of curiosity, intellect, and a touch of the fantastical, with its variety of diverse visual symbols and motifs.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching in black on beige japan paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen

  • Dimensions

    plate: 22.8 x 16.8 cm (9 x 6 5/8 in.)
    sheet: 29.8 x 21.5 cm (11 3/4 x 8 7/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2012.92.14

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Bourcard/Goodfriend 1979, no. 172, State ii/iv

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York); Ruth Kainen, Washington, D.C., purchased April, 1971; Gift to NGA, 2012.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1899

  • Bourcard, Gustave. Felix Buhot: catalogue descriptif de son oeuvre grave. Paris: H. Floury, 1899. Reprint. With additions and revisions by James Goodfriend. New York: Martin Goodfriend, 1979.

Inscriptions

lower center below plate mark in graphite: Prem (crossed out) Deuxieme / Etat- / d'une piece composée et grave pour / les "Zigzags d'un Bibliophile / par Octave Uzanne. / Felix Buhot; lower left below plate mark in graphite: une douzaine d'épreuves. / 1 dont six sur Japon; lower center below plate mark stamped in red: FB (Lugt 978); by later hand, lower left in graphite: a 17072; by later hands, upper right verso in graphite: 245 33 Vue / 33 245 / 275 195 / 5.5 5.0; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: A17072

Wikidata ID

Q75422676

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