Pierrot

c. 1850–60

Dating: Approximate date range
Held at: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Medium: watercolor heightened with white gouache on off-white wove paper
Dimensions: Sheet: 31.8 x 21 cm (12 1/2 x 8 1/4 in.)
Collection no.: 1923.854
Attribution: By the artist
Image rights: CC0 1.0License details

Paul Gavarni. Pierrot. The Cleveland Museum of Art. CC0 1.0. Compressed full-frame reproduction.

About this artwork

Pierrot — Paul Gavarni. c. 1850–60.

Medium: watercolor heightened with white gouache on off-white wove paper. Dimensions: Sheet: 31.8 x 21 cm (12 1/2 x 8 1/4 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

This drawing, by caricaturist Paul Gavarni, presents a character from pantomime and festival culture. Called Pierrot, he is recognizable by his comically ill-fitting clothes and was popular in performances during Gavarni's lifetime. The artist drew Pierrot several times late in his career, often adding humorous captions, which likely related to his work in printmaking and illustration.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.

Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.

Artwork sources

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