The Retreat
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-798
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Victor Adam’s “The Retreat,” created between 1835 and 1840, offers a glimpse into the work of a French artist active during the July Monarchy. Born in 1801 and trained in the academic tradition, Adam was known for his skill in capturing movement and narrative scenes, often through drawings and prints. Though the exact medium remains unspecified, its classification as a drawing highlights the importance of works on paper as both finished pieces and studies that reveal an artist’s process. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the drawing entered the collection through the bequest of E...