Félix Buhot. 1847-1898.
Le Hibou.
Le Hibou (Pauca Paucis) 1883. Etching, drypoint, aquatint and roulette. 1883. B/G 161.v/v. 17 1/2 x 12 3/4 (sheet 19 1/4 x 14 1/2). An atmospheric impression printed in brown/black on cream wove paper. Provenance: Kovler Gallery, Chicago. Unsigned.
The image shows a horse-drawn cab, a sailing ship, a figure from a novel he illustrated, people with umbrellas, gulls, owls, a minstrel and a bit of the church at Valognes. In the central image, the owl, Buhot's alter ego, stands next to an open book and his shadow, cast on the blank page, produces a silhouette portrait of the bearded artist. The words Pauca Paucis (A Few for the Few) are inscribed below the owl and the book. Buhot designed the print to be a cover or title page for a projected album of some of his works. Unfortunately, the project never materialized. The print itself, though, is a major addition to his oeuvre. $4,500.
Museums holding drawings of Le Hibou.
The National Gallery of Art.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art.
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