The Departure, plate 4 from Paul et Virginie
<p>This image illustrates Virginie, on the far right, bidding farewell to her family before boarding a ship bound for Paris. The drama of the scene is heightened by moody contrasts between moonlight and shadow, as well as the island’s exaggeratedly “exotic” geography, which includes the rocky cliff where the family has gathered. Virginie’s pained mother reaches out to her, while Paul clasps Virginie’s waist in protest and gestures towards the waiting vessel, pleading for permission to join her. The work also depicts the story’s narrator for the first time, shown here on the left next to Paul’s mother.</p>
Catalogue
- Year
- 1795
- Dimensions
- Image: 37.5 × 41.2 cm (14 13/16 × 16 1/4 in.); Sheet, cut within platemark: 41.6 × 47.4 cm (16 7/16 × 18 11/16 in.)
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
Artist
Printmaking
Charles-Melchior Descourtis (French, 1753-1820)
Full artist profile →More
More by Charles Melchior Descourtis
The Prayer, plate 6 from Paul et Virginie
1795 · Etching and engraving in yellow, blue, red, and black on ivory laid paper
The Arrival of Monsieur de la Bourdonnais, plate 3 from Paul et Virginie
1795 · Etching and engraving printed in yellow, blue, red, and black inks on ivory laid paper
The Night, plate 1 from Paul et Virginie
1795 · Etching and engraving printed in yellow, blue, red, and black inks on paper
The Fugitive Slave, plate 2 from Paul et Virginie
1795 · Etching and engraving printed in yellow, blue, red, and black inks on paper
Finding Virginie's Body, plate 5 from Paul et Virginie
1795 · Etching and engraving, from four plates, in yellow, blue, red and black, on ivory laid paper
F: S: Wilhelmine de Prusse Princesse d'Orange et de Nassau &&
1791 · silk
Record
Verified by WattsOS- Year
- 1795
- Dimensions
- Image: 37.5 × 41.2 cm (14 13/16 × 16 1/4 in.); Sheet, cut within platemark: 41.6 × 47.4 cm (16 7/16 × 18 11/16 in.)
- Watts ID
- WW-1795-124320
Source
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Source
- aic
- Reference
- View at source
- Status
- verified