Girl holding Violets
Belgian academic painter Eugène Siberdt gives us a masterclass in contrast here: a young girl in a somber, dark dress that makes her pale face and the delicate lace cuffs pop right off the canvas. She's clutching a tiny bunch of violets, which in the language of flowers usually stands for modesty or faithfulness—fitting for her serious, almost melancholic expression. Siberdt was actually a strict teacher at the Antwerp Academy who famously clashed with his student Rik Wouters, yet here his own brushwork shows a gentle, polished touch typical of academic portraiture.
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