Evening

c. 1879

Evening, c. 1879. Albert-Charles Lebourg (French, 1849–1928). Conté crayon and charcoal with stumping and white gouache on laid paper discolored to brown; image: 31.8 x 48.5 cm (12 1/2 x 19 1/8 in.); sheet: 31.8 x 48.5 cm (12 1/2 x 19 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2021.101 In this drawing, Albert Lebourg depicted his mother, sister, and wife sewing by the dim light of an oil lamp. The three women sit around a table, close to one another but each absorbed in their work. Known for his experimentation with charcoal, Lebourg worked from dark to light, covering his sheet with the dark, powdery material and leaving only highlights visible. This drawing influenced a young Georges Seurat, who likely saw it on view at the 1879 Impressionist Exhibition and created his own interpretation of the subject in dark conté crayon soon after.