Debray Dance Hall

Au Bal Debray (French title)

Color aquatint & etching on laid Arches paper, circa 1895.
Edition unknown but seemingly small, given the scarcity of this subject.
Signed in pencil.
Small margins, 1/2 to 3/4 inch top and sides, and about 1 1/4 at the bottom, with one short repaired tear below the signature. Don’t be distracted by the sheet’s small margins: the colors of this impression are fresh and this print has a great presence.

Eugène Delâtre liked to depict people and when they are shown close up, such as our sitter is here, they are often known or thought to be family members or close friends. We are on a parapet with a stone wall, showing the Moulin de la Galette which was owned by the Debray family. The dance hall named after the family can be identified thanks to the sign on the arch in the background. The Delâtre print shop was steps from this venue, on the rue Lepic. It is quite probable that the vantage point is taken from the family’s property. This is one of Eugène’s largest color aquatints and also one of his finer ones, in our opinion. We have only had this print one other time in the past 25 years.