A Night Class
Jehan-Georges Vibert (French, 1840-1902)
Date:
c. 1881
Medium:
oil on wood panel
Collection:
Dimensions:
Framed - h:97.20 w:82.50 d:12.50 cm (h:38 1/4 w:32 7/16 d:4 7/8 inches)
Unframed - h:60.80 w:45.40 cm (h:23 7/8 w:17 13/16 inches)
Credit Line:
Bequest of Noah L. Butkin
Accession Number:
1980.292
Gallery ID:
not on view
The artist himself described his painting of a night class: "Under smoldering electric lights, a model in historical costume poses for eager, ambitious art students. A few of them might have real talent, some could become commercial artists, but most, unfortunately, have no future in art at all."
Although trained in a conservative academic style, Vibert here pokes fun at his own artistic tradition. Vibert was fond of caricaturing the pretentious elements of 19th-century French society. The work was shown at the 1881 Salon exhibition.
Inscription:
Signed lower left: J. G. Vibert