Young Communards in Prison (Les Fédérés à la Conciergerie)

Gustave Courbet

1871 · Black chalk, stumped · Drawings and Prints

Courbet was arrested for his alleged role in the destruction of the Vendôme Column following the defeat of the Paris Commune in June 1871. He was initially jailed in the Conciergerie, where he must have executed this drawing showing two very young fellow prisoners in a graffiti-marked cell. He submitted the drawing for reproduction in the journal "L’Autographe" in September, perhaps aiming to solicit sympathy for the Communards facing trial. He dedicated the drawing to Léon Brigot, one of few lawyers who defended Communards, including the artist.

Artist

Gustave Courbet

Date

1871

Medium

Black chalk, stumped

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Guy Wildenstein, 1999