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This is a drawing of an outdoor dance or festival scene. The image depicts a lively gathering in an outdoor setting, illuminated by rows of hanging lanterns and ornate chandeliers. The scene unfolds under a darkened sky, set against a backdrop of lush trees. There are tents with stripes in the background. The foreground is crowded with figures engaged in dancing and merriment on a spacious dance area, while smaller details, such as a small dog, add warmth and a sense of communal gaiety.
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This is a drawing of an outdoor dance or festival scene. The image depicts a lively gathering in an outdoor setting, illuminated by rows of hanging lanterns and ornate chandeliers. The scene unfolds under a darkened sky, set against a backdrop of lush trees. There are tents with stripes in the background. The foreground is crowded with figures engaged in dancing and merriment on a spacious dance area, while smaller details, such as a small dog, add warmth and a sense of communal gaiety.

National Gallery of Art · Print

Bal de la Bastille

Louis Le Coeur and Jacques-François-Joseph Swebach-Desfontaines

Date
1790
Medium
etching and wash manner, printed in blue, red, and black inks
Dimensions
plate: 40.2 x 31.9 cm (15 13/16 x 12 9/16 in.) sheet: 52 x 38.8 cm (20 1/2 x 15 1/4 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
1999.77.1
Credit line
Gift of Ivan E. and Winifred Phillips in memory of Neil Phillips
Time span
1776 to 1800
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • French
  • amusement
  • genre
  • aquatint
  • history
  • secular
  • holidays/festivals/parties
  • Ball
  • Bastille
  • French Revolution
Provenance

(William H. Schab Gallery, Inc., New York); gift to NGA, 1999.

Inscription

lower left in plate: Swebach Desfontaines del.; lower right in plate: Le Coeur sculp.; lower center in plate: BAL DE LA BASTILLE / Ce fut précisément sur les ruines de cet affreux monument de despotisme que le Français célébra le premier anniversaire de la liberté. La / célérité des préparatifs de cette fête dut etonner sans doute, mais comment exprimer le sentiment qu'on éprouvait en lisant cette inscription. / Ici l'on danse / A Paris, chez l'Auteur, rue St. Jacques, No. 55.; by later hand, center left verso in charcoal: 40

NGA object ID 110222. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.