A Fall Down the Stairs
1834–35
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
Image: 8 7/16 × 6 1/4 in. (21.4 × 15.9 cm) Sheet: 10 in. × 7 11/16 in. (25.4 × 19.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
22.63.40
Tags
Art Historical Context
Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps’s lithograph *A Fall Down the Stairs* (1834–35) captures a lively, chaotic moment as figures tumble down a staircase. A leading figure in the French Romantic movement, Decamps was celebrated for his spirited genre scenes and keen eye for everyday drama. The choice of lithography was significant in the 1830s: the medium allowed artists to produce affordable, widely distributed prints that brought lively imagery into homes and public spaces beyond the elite world of painting. In this compact sheet, Decamps uses fluid lines and expressive shading to convey motion and su...
About the Artist
Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps · 1803–1860
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