The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Head of a Young Man (Study for L'Oiseau de passage)

Head of a Young Man (Study for L'Oiseau de passage)

1853
Location: not on view

Description

Paul Gavarni made this drawing as a study for L'Oiseau de passage (The Bird of Passage), one of the lithographs in a series on Parisian courtesans that he produced for the newspaper Paris. The lithograph's title, L'Oiseau de passage, must refer to the young man since messieurs de passage were casual lovers a courtesan might take on to supplement her protector's regular support. This drawing was once part of the important collection of the artist's work amassed by the writers Edmond (1822–1896) and Jules (1830–1870) de Goncourt. The Goncourts believed Gavarni captured the essence of 19th-century life, and they cited this particular drawing in their Journal des Goncourt, where they called it "the study of this cruel redhead."
  • Edmond and Jules de Goncourt, Paris (Lugt and Lugt Suppl. 1089, lower right, in black ink); [their sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris (30 April-1 May 1897), lot 7]. Paul-César Helleu (1859-1927) (according to inscription on verso of mount); Paulette Helleu (according to inscription on verso of mount). [B. G. Verte (Georges Martin du Nord), Paris]; [from whom purchased in 1973 by Shepherd Gallery, New York]; purchased in 1974.
  • Foster, Carter E., Sylvain Bellenger, and Patrick Shaw Cable. French Master Drawings from the Collection of Muriel Butkin. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2001. Referenced: cat. no. 37, p. 84-85, Reproduced: p. 85
  • French Master Drawings from the Collection of Muriel Butkin. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 26-October 28, 2001); Dahesh Museum of Art (February 19-May 18, 2002).
    Winter Exhibition 1974, Shepherd Gallery, New York (1974), no cat.
  • {{cite web|title=Head of a Young Man (Study for L'Oiseau de passage)|url=false|author=Paul Gavarni|year=1853|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2008.352