19th-century Archives

Les bulles de savon

Etienne Adolphe Piot (French, 1850–1910)

A young woman leans forward, lips parted as she blows a soap bubble. The fragile sphere catches the light, hovering between her delicate fingers and the soft curve of her cheek. Her gaze follows its ascent, half-amused, half-lost in thought—a fleeting moment suspended like the bubble itself.
Jeanne (1888)

William Bouguereau (French, 1825–1905)

A young woman gazes downward, her delicate features bathed in soft light. The folds of her white dress cascade gracefully, contrasting with the dark background. There’s a quiet intensity in her lowered eyes—something unspoken lingers in the stillness.
Portrait of the Artist’s Wife Ellan Edelfelt (1896)

Albert Edelfelt (Finnish, 1854–1905)

A woman sits in soft light, her hands resting lightly in her lap. The folds of her dark dress contrast with the warm glow on her face, half-turned as if caught mid-thought. There’s quiet intensity in her gaze—not quite a smile, but something knowing, private.
Portræt af Marie Krøyer (1890)

Peder Severin Krøyer (Danish, unknown)

A woman in a white dress stands by the sea, sunlight catching the folds of her skirt. Her gaze drifts beyond the frame, as if lost in thought or waiting for something—or someone—just out of sight. The air feels still, salt-tanged, heavy with unspoken words.
The Gathering

Adrien Moreau (French, 1843–1906)

A huddle of figures in rich 19th-century dress exchange urgent whispers, their faces half-lit by candlelight. Silk rustles against velvet as postures tense—some lean in, others recoil. The air thickens with unspoken alliances and betrayals, frozen in one charged moment before the storm breaks.
Fauna japonica Pl.042 (1833-1850)

Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold (German, 1796–1866)

Delicate wings unfold against precise lines, a Japanese insect preserved in ink. The engraving balances scientific detail with quiet elegance, each vein and segment rendered with care. A glimpse into a world where nature meets meticulous craftsmanship.
The sweetest little beggar that e’er asked for Alms (1891)

William Powell Frith (English, 1819–1909)

A ragged child, eyes wide with hunger, extends a tiny hand. The plea is silent but unmistakable—coins or crusts, anything to fill the hollow belly. The street’s grime clings to their clothes, yet there’s a fragile dignity in that outstretched palm. One can almost hear the whisper: “Please.”
Sainte Famille (The Holy Family) (1863)

William Bouguereau (French, 1825–1905)

A mother cradles her child, bathed in soft light, while a watchful figure stands nearby. The scene radiates quiet devotion, every fold of fabric and tender gesture steeped in reverence. It’s intimate yet universal—a moment of quiet strength, love, and protection frozen in paint.
Mickiewicz as a Pilgrim (1894)

Jan Styka (Polish, 1858–1925)

A lone pilgrim stands against a vast landscape, his gaze distant yet intense. The folds of his cloak catch the wind, echoing the restless spirit of Polish literature. There’s weight in his stillness—a man caught between exile and longing, as if the horizon holds both memory and prophecy.