Fine Art Poster
From $29
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Le billard - Paul Gavarni
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A refined lithograph by Paul Gavarni depicting two men engaged in a game of billiards, capturing a quiet moment of focus and social interaction.
Paul Gavarni, born Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier, remains a central figure in nineteenth-century French graphic art. Known for his keen observation of Parisian social life, Gavarni produced a vast body of work that captured the nuances of contemporary manners and leisure. This lithograph, titled Le billard, depicts a quiet moment in a billiard room, focusing on the concentration of the players rather than the spectacle of the game.
The composition is restrained and precise. One figure leans over the table, cue in hand, while his companion observes from behind. Gavarni employs delicate shading to define the forms of the men and the heavy furniture of the billiard table. The lines are clean, reflecting the technical mastery required for the lithographic process. By stripping away unnecessary background detail, the artist directs the viewer to the physical posture and the quiet tension between the two men.
This work belongs to a period when Gavarni moved away from the more caricatured style of his earlier career towards a more sober, observational approach. His ability to render the texture of clothing and the weight of the wooden table demonstrates his skill as a draughtsman. The print offers a glimpse into the social habits of the era, where such games provided a setting for masculine camaraderie. It is a study of human behaviour, captured with an economy of means that characterises much of Gavarni's later output. The print is presented on high-quality paper, preserving the subtle tonal variations of the original stone drawing. It serves as a fine example of mid-nineteenth-century French printmaking, suitable for those interested in the history of social leisure and the development of the lithographic medium.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
Le billard - Paul Gavarni
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Paul Gavarni
Gavarni was imprisoned for debt in 1835 after his magazine, the Journal of High Society, failed after eighteen issues. He served nearly a year. The experience did not prevent him from becoming the most stylish caricaturist in Paris, but it may explain the darkness that crept into his later work.
His real name was Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier. He adopted "Gavarni" from the town of Gavarnie in the Pyrenees after a journey there. He was born in Paris in 1804, worked as a machinist in a factory, and taught himself to draw in evening classes. By the 1830s he was the leading illustrator of Parisian social life: fashionable women, carnival scenes, lorettes and debardeurs, all rendered with a wit and polish that Balzac praised publicly and that helped establish Gavarni's reputation.
After the deaths of his mother and the collapse of his marriage around 1845, his style shifted. He spent time in London documenting the lives of the poor, producing work that was bleaker and more compassionate than his Paris satire. His catalogue raisonne lists approximately eight thousand works. He is often compared with his contemporary Daumier, though Gavarni's satire was more polished and less political. He died in Paris in 1866.
His real name was Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier. He adopted "Gavarni" from the town of Gavarnie in the Pyrenees after a journey there. He was born in Paris in 1804, worked as a machinist in a factory, and taught himself to draw in evening classes. By the 1830s he was the leading illustrator of Parisian social life: fashionable women, carnival scenes, lorettes and debardeurs, all rendered with a wit and polish that Balzac praised publicly and that helped establish Gavarni's reputation.
After the deaths of his mother and the collapse of his marriage around 1845, his style shifted. He spent time in London documenting the lives of the poor, producing work that was bleaker and more compassionate than his Paris satire. His catalogue raisonne lists approximately eight thousand works. He is often compared with his contemporary Daumier, though Gavarni's satire was more polished and less political. He died in Paris in 1866.
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Fine Art Framed
From $89
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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