Two Women in a Cafe
c. 1849
Johan Barthold Jongkind, a Dutch artist who basically taught Monet how to see light, sketched this lively cafe scene around 1849. This piece is a fantastic example of his proto-Impressionist style, using loose, scribbly lines and watercolor washes to capture a fleeting moment. The woman in the white bonnet stares right at us with a wide-eyed, almost startled expression, while her friend in the heavy plaid shawl seems completely absorbed in their chat. In the background, men in caps—likely soldiers—add to the bustling noise of the room, making this feel less like a formal portrait and more like a candid snapshot of everyday life.
- Technique
- watercolor and ink
- Material
- paper
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