Mme Hugo endormant l'un de ses enfants (Adèle) - étude pour La bonne mère, 662, Achille Devéria, En 1830

Author(s): devéria, achille (paris, 06–02–1800 - paris, 23–12–1857), designer other title: madame victor hugo seen from three quarters, she watches léopoldine sleep on her knees (old title (outdated)) production date: in 1830 dating in centuries: 2nd quarter of the 19th century type(s) of object(s): graphic arts name(s): drawing materials and techniques: graphite mine dimensions - artwork: height: 29cm width: 22cm historical commentary: achille devéria created several portraits of madame hugo with a child on her lap. Tradition has often seen léopoldine in the child, through a retrospective overvaluation of her importance in the life of victor hugo. Now there are four of these portraits and three of them were published as engravings on dates following the birth of the poet's other children. It therefore seems more likely that a sort of intimate tradition was established over the years, of a portrait of the mother with the child after each birth. This drawing remained in the devéria family and was acquired from one of his descendants. When acquired, it is simply titled “mme hugo” or “mme hugo breastfeeding” without the name of the child or the date being indicated. We then wanted to see léopoldine there and the drawing was then dated 1824. Later, because of the size of the baby, we saw charles there and dated the drawing around 1827. Now this is a study for the lithograph “la bonne mère” of which we know two editions: the first by charles motte for the english market, bearing in the letter the date of 1830: “la bonne mere / the good mother / à paris, rue st honoré n° 290 / pub in 1830 by c. Motte, london, 23 leicester square” (for this lithograph, see inv. N° 663); the second announced by the “bibliographie de la france”, july 16, 1831 under “no. 609 -- the steering wheel. -- the good mother. Fifth delivery, n. 3, by devéria. Imp. Lith. By lemercier, in paris. In paris, at aumont, rue j. -j. -rousseau, n. 10. " (for this lithograph, see inv. No. 588). These dates therefore invite us to see in the infant adèle, the second daughter and last child of victor hugo, born august 24, 1830. Person / character depicted: hugo, adèle (née foucher); hugo, leopoldine mode of acquisition: purchase date of acquisition: 1927 institution: maison de victor hugo - hauteville house inventory number: 662. Date: En 1830.