Westminster Bridge
Medium
etching, drypoint, aquatint, soft-ground etching, and roulette in brownish-black ink on wove paper, backed with thin tissue
Dimensions
plate: 28.7 x 40 cm (11 5/16 x 15 3/4 in.) sheet: 30.2 x 42.8 cm (11 7/8 x 16 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Jacob Kainen
Accession Number
2002.98.419
Art Historical Context
Félix-Hilaire Buhot's *Westminster Bridge* (1884) captures the iconic London landmark spanning the Thames, rendered with masterful intricacy during the artist's travels to England. A leading French printmaker of the late 19th century,ot was renowned for his experimental approach, blending etching techniques to evoke the moody atmosphere of urban life amid the era's industrial bustle. This work exemplifies his innovative spirit, bridging traditional printmaking with painterly effects reminiscent of Impressionist interests in light and transience. The print employs a virtuoso combination of etc...
About the Artist
Félix-Hilaire Buhot · 1847–1898
Félix-Hilaire Buhot was born on July 9, 1847, in Valognes, a small town in Normandy, France, into a modest family—his father a wine merchant and his mother a seller of women's clothes. Orphaned by age seven after losing both parents and his maternal grandmother, he was raised by relatives, including a godfather, and received an early introduction to drawing from his adopted mother's nephew. In 186...