Étude, ou femme accoudée, from "L'Artiste" 1882 - 1889

Marcellin Desboutin created this etching, titled Étude, ou femme accoudée, sometime in the late 19th century. It depicts a woman resting her head on her hands. The title suggests this is a study, made for "L'Artiste", possibly an academic journal of fine art, which was founded in Paris. The image is rendered with a loose, sketch-like quality, indicative of the etching process, which allowed for greater freedom and spontaneity than traditional engraving. France was the center of the printmaking industry in the 19th century, but it was also a time of great social and political change, including industrialization and the rise of the middle class. This artwork prompts us to consider the social role of art and the artist in this rapidly changing world. Archival sources of the time period like periodicals and exhibition catalogues may shed light on how the French art institutions, and artistic publications like L'Artiste, mediated the relationship between the artist and the public during this period.