Hurdy-Gurdy Player
c. 1843
Medium
Drypoint and roulette on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Plate: 9.1 × 10.9 cm (3 5/8 × 4 5/16 in.); Sheet: 11.1 × 13.5 cm (4 3/8 × 5 3/8 in.)
Classification
drypoint
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
194191
Art Historical Context
Charles Émile Jacque *Hurdy-Gurdy Player* (c. 1843) captures the humble charm of rural French life, a recurring theme in the artist's oeuvre. A member of the Barbizon School, Jacque renowned for his evocative depictions of peasants, animals, and countryside scenes, blending Realism with a touch of Romantic nostalgia. Here, the itinerant musician with his distinctive hurdy-gurdy—a medieval string instrument played by cranking a wheel—embodies the wandering folk traditions of 19th-century Europe, evoking both melody and melancholy. Printed in drypoint and roulette on fine ivory wove paper, this...