#lampost

Evening Mood at Madrid

The forest slept, yet the lamppost glimmered with the faint promise of worlds unseen and destinies waiting to awaken.

This oil on canvas painting depicts an outdoor scene/restaurant where artists and their wives have gathered, celebrating "le vernissage," or Varnishing Day. This day is on the eve of the official opening of the Salon; participating artists traditionally gathered to view the exhibition privately and put a final coat of protective varnish on the paintings. One of the wives, in a maroon print dress, looks directly at the viewer.

Collection: Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio