The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of January 31, 2023

Portrait of Alfred de Musset (1810-1857)

c. 1850s

Alexandre Bida

(French, 1823–1895)

France, 19th century

Black chalk and graphite with stumping, watercolor, gouache, and fabricated colored chalk on medium weight wove paper

Overall: 43.6 x 30.7 cm (17 3/16 x 12 1/16 in.)

Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2019.62

Location

not on view

Fun Fact

Alexandre Bida was an accomplished illustrator and produced images to accompany an 1865 edition of the works of Alfred de Musset, this portrait’s sitter.

Description

This portrait is one of only a few that Alexandre Bida—known primarily for his depictions of North Africa—created during his career. It depicts the celebrated French poet and novelist Alfred de Musset (1810–1857). Bida was commissioned to create illustrations for an 1865 publication of Musset’s collected writings, and the drawing was likely completed in commemoration of that project.

Inscriptions

Inscription

Watermark: Wise / 1820, vertical at lower right

Inscription

Signed, at lower right, in black chalk: “A Bida”

Provenance
Shepherd Gallery, New York, NY
1977-1980
Mr. Noah L. Butkin [1918-1980]
1980-2008
Mrs. Muriel Butkin [1915-2008]
March 4, 2019
the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Citations
Rohowsky, Peter S. French Nineteenth Century Drawings, Pastels, Watercolors: Nov. 1977-Feb. 1978. New York: Shepherd Gallery Associates, 1977. p. 10, ill no. 7
Exhibition history

Shepherd Gallery. "French Nineteenth-Century Drawings-Pastels-Watercolors: November 1977-February 1978." New York: Shepherd Gallery, 1977: catalogue # 7, illustrated.

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2019.62