Artist: Jean-François Raffaëlli Title: Les dèclassès, 1881 Now known as Les buveurs s'absinthe The Absinthe Drinkers Oil on canvas, 110.2 x 110.2 cm Private Collection

This year Raffaëlli has gone beyond his little frames. Without abondoning the easel, he has taken on larger canvases and tackled half-life-size figures. Les dèclassès are of this dimension. They come near being worthy of nothing but praise. Henry Trianon, La Constitutionnel, 24 April 1881