Behind the Scenes

Jean-Louis Forain

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows two people. A woman is seen from the knees up in the center, standing partially in front of the man next to her, her body facing the left and her head turned back towards us. She has pale skin, dark eyebrows, and a thin red mouth in a slight smile. She seems to be looking downward. Her dark hair is styled behind her head with a pink flower. She wears a seafoam-green dress with thin straps, a wide, square neckline, a small waist, and a puffed skirt. She has a gold bracelet on one wrist and a brown belt around her thin waist. Her hands are clasped in front of her, resting on her skirt. A man is behind her on the right, wearing a black suit with a white shirt, black bow tie, and a top hat. He has light skin, prominent cheekbones, gray hair, a gray mustache, and a pointed gray beard. The background is divided by a vertical line; the right side behind the man is dark brown, while the left side is a colorful, abstract scene including greens, blues, reds, and pinks, giving the impression of a leafy garden. The woman stands in front of this dividing line.