Twee vrouwen in een donkere steeg met een lantaarn in de regen 1872

Félix Hilaire Buhot created this small etching of two women in a dark alley with a lantern in the rain. The composition is dominated by the deep blacks and muted greys of the rainy night, which create a claustrophobic atmosphere. Buhot uses the etching technique to evoke a sense of urban isolation and mystery. The formal elements of the artwork, particularly the use of light and shadow, are not just descriptive but symbolic. The lantern’s light, which barely cuts through the darkness, can be seen as a metaphor for knowledge or hope struggling against the overwhelming forces of ignorance and despair. The use of the dark palette creates a semiotic system where darkness signifies obscurity and the unknown. In this print, Buhot challenges conventional expectations by using darkness not as a backdrop, but as a dominant force that shapes the narrative and emotional content. The formal properties of the artwork thus function as part of a broader philosophical exploration of the limits of human perception and understanding.