The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 15, 2025

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

Did You Know?

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.
  • 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
  • Rohowsky, Peter S. French Nineteenth Century Drawings, Pastels, Watercolors: Nov. 1977-Feb. 1978. New York: Shepherd Gallery Associates, 1977. p. 10, ill no. 7
  • Shepherd Gallery. "French Nineteenth-Century Drawings-Pastels-Watercolors: November 1977-February 1978." New York: Shepherd Gallery, 1977: catalogue # 7, illustrated.
  • {{cite web|title=Portrait of Alfred de Musset (1810-1857)|url=false|author=Alexandre Bida|year=c. 1850s|access-date=15 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

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