L'Heure (The Hour)
1894
Medium
lithograph in brown-black on china paper (with additional study of the woman's head lower right)
Dimensions
sheet: 38.7 x 28.8 cm (15 1/4 x 11 5/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection, gift in memory of Virginia H. Jackson
Accession Number
1996.151.23
Art Historical Context
Émile Coulon's *L'Heure (The Hour)*, created in 1894, is a captivating lithograph in brown-black ink on delicate china paper, measuring 38.7 x 28.8 cm. This intimate print likely evokes the passage of time through a contemplative female figure, a common motif in late 19th-century French art The addition of a detailed study of the woman's head the lower right corner reveals Coulon's working process, transforming this into a rare artist's proof that offers visitors a glimpse into the creative evolution behind the final image. Lithography, a revolutionary technique perfected in the 19th century,...