Cover for the Album Lithographique of 1835

Auguste Raffet

National Gallery of Art

This is an illustration featuring three figures in theatrical costumes on a small stage. The scene shows a clown, another character in a coat and hat with a cane, and a drummer in a feathered hat and coat. A banner reads "Album Lithographique par Raffet" on the left, and a sign with the year "1835" is displayed above. The drawing uses shading to create depth and convey character expressions, capturing a playful, performative moment likely set in the mid-19th-century Parisian street performance scene.