Femme de métier (étude de jeune fille appuyée sur une chaise)

Art Historical Context

Marcellin Desboutin *Femme de métier ( de jeune fille appuyée une chaise)*, created around 1889, captures the quiet dignity of a young working woman in a intimate drypoint etching. Desboutin, a French and close associate of Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet, was renowned for his masterful printmaking during the late 19th century. This work reflects the era’s fascination with everyday life the laboring classes, portraying a thoughtful young girl leaning on a chair—perhaps a seamstress or shopgirl—evoking the social realism of the time. Drypoint, the medium here, involves scratching directly into a copper plate with a sharp tool, raising a soft burr that produces richly textured, velvety lines upon printing. Unlike etching’s precise acid lines, drypoint’s immediacy allowed Desboutin to achieve spontaneous, painterly effects, with subtle tonal variations that highlight the figure’s contemplative pose and simple attire. Measuring just 6 3/8 × 4 3/4 inches on the plate, its small scale invites close viewing, emphasizing fine details like fabric folds and shadowed contours. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1922, this print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Drawings and Prints department exemplifies Desboutin’s technical virtuosity and his contribution to the revival of original printmaking in fin-de-siècle France. It offers visitors a poignant glimpse into the lives of women in urban society, blending artistry with subtle social commentary.

About the Artist

Marcellin Desboutin · 1823–1902

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