 Chrysanthemums. French: James Tissot (1836-1902) Oil on Canvas (1874-76) 46 5/8 x 30 in. |
 Crossing the Street. Italian: Giovanni Boldini (1842 - 1931) 1873-75, Oil on Panel. Boldini's view of a busy street captures the rapid pace of city life in Paris. As figures hurry along in different directions, an elegantly dressed-- and unaccompanied-- woman crosses the cobbled street, attracting the attention of a man in a carriage. In her haste, she has raised her skirt and exposed her petticoat, adding toher allure. The painting is dated twice, perhaps indicating that the artist finished or reworked it two years after he began. |
 Winter. Alfred Stevens 1877 |
 Spring. Alfred Stevens 1877 |
 Summer. Alfred Stevens 1877 |
 Comedy and Tragedy "Sic Vita." English: Alfred Gilbert (1854 - 1934) c. 1902-05. This boy's twisting pose encourages us to walk around him, where we discover the cause of his pained expression-- a bee stinging his leg. If we look at the boy's face through the mouth of the theatrical mask he carries, however, he appears to be laughing. The ingenious compositioin encapsulates the two opposing aspects of drama: comedy and tragedy. It also refers to circumstances in the artist's private life, a mixtue of public success and personal distress. In Latin, "sic vita" means "such is life." |
 The Visit. Alred Stevens, c. 1870 |
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 Moonlight. Alfred Stevens c. 1885 |