Artwork preview

La Rose

Philibert-Louis Debucourt

National Gallery of Art

The image shows two individuals depicted from head to ankle, with one kneeling and one seated. The man on the left is kneeling on one knee and turning slightly towards the seated woman, offering her a rose with one hand while looking at her. He has a youthful face, clean-shaven, and is wearing a powdered wig typical of the fashion at the time. He is dressed in a formal suit with a blue coat, yellow breeches, and knee-high white socks. The woman is seated on a bench, holding onto the rose he is offering, and gazes downwards towards it. Her hair is styled with curls and adorned with a blue ribbon. She is wearing a voluminous dress in white and light blue with a pink sash and draped in a dark shawl. A closed book and a handkerchief rest on the bench beside her. Both figures are surrounded by a lush garden setting with a statue of a cherub behind them. The background features dense foliage with hints of a forest and a waterfall in the distance.

Artwork Details

Date
1788
Medium
color etching and wash manner on laid paper
Dimensions
3399 × 4749 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette