Russian Peasants
Medium
Lithograph in black on gray chine laid down on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 28.2 × 20.8 cm (11 1/8 × 8 1/4 in.); Primary support: 28.2 × 21 cm (11 1/8 × 8 5/16 in.); Secondary support: 39.5 × 29 cm (15 9/16 × 11 7/16 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
48620
Art Historical Context
Denis Auguste Marie Raffet a prominent French lithographer of the Romantic era, captured the rugged essence of rural life in *Russian Peasants* (1841). This intricate black lithograph on gray chine—thin Oriental paper laid down on ivory wove support—showcases Raffet's mastery of the medium, which exploded in popularity in the early 19th century for its ability to reproduce fine details and tonal gradations with crayon-like fluidity. Measuring about 11 x 8 inches, the print invites viewers into a poignant snapshot of everyday Russian folk, likely drawn from Raffet's travels and fascination with...
About the Artist
Denis Auguste Marie Raffet · 1804–1860
Denis Auguste Marie Raffet (1804–1860) was born in Paris and displayed an early aptitude for drawing, though his initial apprenticeship was to a wood turner. He pursued art through evening classes and, at age eighteen, joined the workshop of Cabanel as a porcelain painter, where he met Rudor, who taught him lithography. Raffet studied under Nicolas Toussaint Charlet from 1824 to 1829 and completed...