The Dream of the Soldier
Medium
Photogravure
Dimensions
Image: 8 7/16 × 11 3/4 in. (21.5 × 29.9 cm) Sheet: 11 11/16 × 16 15/16 in. (29.7 × 43.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Ellen Robinson, 1960
Accession Number
60.683.42
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the evocative world of *The Dream of the Soldier a photogravure print from 1889 created by the Gebbie & Husson Company Ltd., after the original painting by French artist Édouard Detaille.le, a master of military Realism, captured the valor and nostalgia of French soldiers with meticulous detail, often drawing from his experiences documenting the Franco-Prussian War. This reproduction measures 8 7/16 × 11 3/4 inches, preserving the painting's dramatic composition in a fine-grained, velvety tone unique to photogravure—a late-19th-century intaglio process blending photography and engraving for stunning, affordable art dissemination. Photogravure's significance lies in its ability to democratize high art, making Detaille's heroic visions accessible beyond elite salons. Here, a weary soldier dreams amid spectral armies, evoking themes of glory, sacrifice, and longing for imperial pasts amid France's post-war recovery. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1960 by Mrs. Ellen Robinson, this print from the Drawings and Prints department highlights how 19th-century printmaking bridged painting and mass culture, inspiring patriotism and reflection on the human cost of war. (198 words)
About the Artist
Gebbie & Husson Company, Ltd.|Edouard Detaille (British|French) · 1880 |1854 –1900 |1924
|French, Paris 1854–1924 Paris