The Kiss of Peace and Justice

Gerard de Lairesse

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Kiss of Peace and Justice by Gerard de Lairesse: A framed drawing on light brown paper depicts two semi-clothed women. One woman sits on the left with her head turned right; her hair is down and she wears a strapless top. The other woman sits on the right; she faces left with her hair covered and wears a dress with a sash. The woman on the right holds a scale. They appear to kiss. These figures are in the bottom center of the paper, with a wall behind them that recedes into the background on the left and a pillar on the right. The background is shaded and lightly drawn; trees are visible on the upper right. The figure on the left sits on an object that resembles a shield lying on the ground. The drawing is surrounded by a border and then a green and gold matte, then another border. The colors are sepia and brown; some darker brown spots are on the matte. The work is titled The Kiss of Peace and Justice by Gerard de Lairesse.