At the Boulevard de Clichy

A gifted painter and printmaker, Félix Buhot was dedicated to capturing Montmartre, his neighborhood in Paris. In addition to depicting ordinary street scenes, he was fascinated by moments of public ceremony, such as holiday parades and, as seen here, funeral processions. Likely a preparatory study for a detailed etching Buhot produced in 1887, this watercolor records a somber convoy of carriages and mourners making its way down the Boulevard de Clichy. A master of suggesting atmospheric effects like rain and fog, Buhot conjures the sensation of a cold and wet winter’s day through the most minimal means of line and color.