After Léon Bonnat, La Tenerezza, Italian Woman Embracing a Girl, 1880, Photogravure

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A tender study of two figures in italian peasant dress. A young woman in a folded white headcloth and a … Read more A tender study of two figures in italian peasant dress. A young woman in a folded white headcloth and a richly embroidered blouse sits and gathers a laughing girl into her arms; the girl, barefoot, with flowers in her dark hair, presses against her and turns her face out toward the viewer with a broad smile, while the woman bends her cheek to the child's head with half-closed eyes. A copper water vessel stands on the floor at left, and the figures are set against a plain, shadowed wall that throws the light onto their faces, sleeves and the heavy folds of the skirts. The plate reproduces a painting by léon bonnat (1833 to 1922), the french portraitist and teacher who painted many scenes of italian country people in his early career; this one is known as "la tenerezza" (tenderness). Bonnat's signature and the date 1873 appear in the lower left of the image. The margin carries "peint par l. Bonnat" and the line "photogravure & imp. Goupil & cie", the paris house that made and printed the plate. Photogravure gives the image soft continuous tones, from the luminous whites of the linen to the deep shadows of the background, with fine detail in the embroidery and lace. An upright, intimate image that suits a bedroom, nursery or a narrow wall between windows, and it looks especially well in a warm wood frame. Condition: light wear to the bottom right and bottom left corners. Age toning; handling soiling along the edges and foxing with some brown staining in the margins. Printed image clean. This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. See less