Les Voisins de Campagne (Country Neighbors)

Art Historical Context

Step into the idyllic French countryside with Félix-Hilaire Buh's *Les Voisins deagne (Country Neighbors)*, an enchanting print from 1879/1880 now housed in the National Gallery Art. Created during the height of Impressionist experimentation, Buhot captures the warmth of rural life—likely depicting neighboring villagers in a pastoral setting—evoking the everyday charm that fascinated late 19th-century artists As a master printmaker influenced by the Impressionist circle, Buhot elevated printmaking to rival painting, blending technical innovation with a lively sense of place. This intimate work (plate: 13.2 x 17.6 cm) showcases Buhot's virtuoso command of mixed techniques: etching for precise lines, aquatint for velvety tones mimicking watercolor washes, and drypoint for rich, burr-laden textures that add depth and spontaneity. Printed in black ink on vellum—a creamy, parchment-like paper that enhances luminosity and absorbs ink deeply—the result is a luminous, painterly effect rare in prints of the era. Buhot's layered approach, often involving multiple states and colors in his oeuvre, underscores his role as a pioneering *peintre-graveur* (painter-engraver). Generously gifted by Miss Elisabeth Achelis to the NGA's Prints department, this piece highlights Buhot's underappreciated legacy in bridging painting and print traditions, inviting visitors to savor the subtle poetry of rural France.

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...