The Diva (La Diva)

Art Historical Context

Created in 1888, *The Diva (La Diva)* is a delicate etching and drypoint print by Dr. Paul Gachet, a French physician and amateur deeply connected to the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist circles. Gachet, best known today as Vincent van Gogh’s friend and doctor in Auvers-sur-Oise, produced this small-scale work on laid paper during a period when he actively explored printmaking alongside his medical practice. The intimate plate size—just over five by four inches—suggests a personal, reflective approach rather than a large public statement. The combination of etching and drypoint techniques gives the image its distinctive character. Etching provides crisp, controlled lines through acid biting, while drypoint adds soft, velvety textures from the burr raised by the needle. Together they create subtle tonal effects well suited to portraying a performer, evoking both elegance and immediacy. Now in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection thanks to a 1926 gift from Bella C. Landauer, the print offers visitors a glimpse into the rich artistic friendships that shaped late-nineteenth-century French art.