Petit portrait
1895
Medium
lithograph in black on thin japan paper
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection, gift in memory of Virginia H. Jackson
Accession Number
1996.151.213
Art Historical Context
Maurice Dumont’s *Petit Portrait* of 1895 offers an intimate glimpse into the refined printmaking practices of late-nineteenth-century France. Executed as a lithograph in black on delicate japan paper, the work demonstrates the medium’s capacity for subtle tonal gradations and fine linear detail. Japan paper, prized for its smooth surface and slight translucency, lends the image a soft, luminous quality that enhances the sense of quiet presence suggested by the modest title. Created during the flourishing of artistic lithography, the print reflects a period when many artists embraced the tech...