"Lorsque tu dormiras, ma belle tenebreuse ..."
1925/1927
Medium
aquatint, roulette and drypoint with pastel over heliogravure
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1954.12.118
Art Historical Context
Georges Rouault’s “Lorsque tu dormiras, ma belle tenebreuse …” was created between 1925 and 1927 as part of a portfolio now held in the National Gallery of Art’s Rosenwald Collection. A French artist known for his expressive, often spiritual imagery, Rouault frequently explored themes of human vulnerability and quiet mystery. The title, drawn from poetic language, evokes a sense of intimate stillness and shadowed beauty that aligns with his interest in emotional depth rather than literal representation. The print demonstrates Rouault’s inventive approach to graphic art. It combines aquatint, ...
About the Artist
Georges Rouault
Georges-Henri Rouault was born on May 27, 1871, in a Paris cellar during the violent "Bloody Week" of the Paris Commune, when a stray shell destroyed his family's home in the working-class Belleville district. Raised by a carpenter father who worked at the Pleyel piano factory and a grandfather who collected prints by Honoré Daumier, Rembrandt, Courbet, and Manet, Rouault showed early artistic pro...