Description
French painter (19th-20th century) – Erotic scene.
Watercolour on paper, within a passe-partout, in a carved and gilded wooden frame.
This watercolour belongs to a genre of private production widely practiced between the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, intended for a cultivated and discreet clientele. The miniature format and watercolour technique were typically employed for gallant and erotic subjects, a tradition rooted in 18th-century libertine illustration that found renewed popularity in Parisian and European artistic circles during the 19th century. The scene takes place in an interior with a green-draped bed and a red damask cushion, purple curtains, and two small paintings hanging on the wall in the background. The figures, dressed in 18th-century costume, are depicted in an explicitly erotic situation. The watercolour technique is handled with broad brushstrokes and vivid colours, with particular attention to the fabrics, the striped floor, and the furnishing elements.
Condition report: Good state of conservation of the paper support and the painted surface. Work protected under glass.
