A Couple Embracing in an Artist's Studio

Overcome with emotion, a young painter throws his brush and palette to the ground and falls on his knees before his model. The subject of this watercolor, an amorous couple, recalls the carefree and pleasure-filled themes of the earlier Rococo period. The costumes and interior details make further reference to this period.

After spending many years painting military scenes with panoramic views and dramatic skies, Eugène Lami turned his attention to bourgeois society. He began painting ceremonial scenes from court life, which provided festive and colorful material for his canvas. Lami spent the later years of his life making watercolors of historical events.