Merchant of Plaster Figures
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 1/16 × 6 5/16 in. (25.5 × 16 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.555.50
Art Historical Context
In the early 19th century, artist Carle Vernet1758–1836), renowned for his dynamic depictions of horses, military life, and everyday Parisian scenes, captured the bustling street commerce of his time in *Merchant of Plaster Figures*ca. 1822). This lithograph portrays a vendor peddling small plaster casts—affordable replicas of classical sculptures among artists, students, and collectors in post-Revolutionary France. Vernet's keen eye for character and atmosphere brings the lively vendor to life, reflecting the era's vibrant urban culture amid the Romantic shift toward celebrating ordinary folk...