Night; vignette of girl in 18th century costume picking roses on verso

Art Historical Context

This charming lithograph, titled *Night; vignette of girl 18th century costume roses on verso*, was created around 1830–65 by French artist Célestin Nanteuil, with printing by Bertauts and P. Cadet in. Nanteuil, a master of Romantic lithography, captured evocative scenes blending fantasy and nostalgia. Produced during France's Romantic era, when printmaking flourished as an accessible art form, this sheet measures 13¾ × 10½ inches and now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to a 1966 gift from A. Hyatt Mayor. The recto depicts "Night," likely featuring owls and dogs—classic symbols of the nocturnal realm—evoking mystery and the sublime, hallmarks of Romanticism. Flipped over, a delicate vignette shows a girl in 18th-century costume plucking roses, nodding to the opulent fashions of Louis XV's court and the 19th-century revival of historical themes. Lithography's crayon-like technique allowed Nanteuil to mimic drawing's fluidity, making intricate details like fur, feathers, and floral textures vivid and reproducible. As a versatile medium, lithography democratized art in the 1800s, bridging fine art and illustration. This dual-sided print highlights its playful potential, offering visitors a glimpse into 19th-century Parisian creativity and the enduring allure of night-time reverie and pastoral innocence.

About the Artist

Bertauts, P. Cadet, Paris|Célestin Nanteuil (French|French) · |1813 – |1873

|French (born Italy), Rome 1813–1873 Bourron-Marlotte