This mezzotint is a version of a painting with the same name. It portrays Kathleen Newton (companion and major source of inspiration of Tissot), her daughter Violet, her niece Bellem and her son Cecil, seated on a bench in Tissot’s garden located in St. John’s Wood, London.
Mastering the drypoint without any known prior experience, it is the characteristics of figures in pose and in groupings of highlights that are so brilliantly conceived and executed. The print is notable for its attention to detail and realism, as well as its use of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. The women’s dresses, in particular, are rendered in exquisite detail, with the folds and textures of the fabric carefully depicted. This can also be seen in the fur, rugs and foliage.
Tissot’s atmosphere in “Le bane de jardin” is perfectly suited to the nostalgic evocation of this moment of lost happiness as his partner, Kathleen, passed away in 1882 from tuberculosis. Tissot ceased creating work after his loss and returned home to France. “Le banc de jardin” is a beautiful and finely crafted example of mezzotint printmaking and a testament to Tissot’s skill as an artist.
Wentworth, 290; Baer, 1254.
Loc: G.H. pp11475