The Love Letter
1867
In this 1867 masterpiece by Belgian artist Gustave Léonard de Jonghe, we see a classic scene of Victorian gossip and romance. A young woman in a magnificent, shimmering bronze silk gown sits on the floor, eagerly showing a letter—presumably a love letter—to an older woman dressed in somber black mourning attire on a teal striped sofa. De Jonghe was famous for his 'fancy pictures' of fashionable women, and here he brilliantly contrasts the heavy, matte black fabric with the liquid-like sheen of the bronze dress. It's a snapshot of 19th-century high society life, full of unspoken drama and luxurious detail.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas