Meditation

Gustave Jean Jacquet 1846 - 1909

Summary

A young peasant girl stares meditatively over her right shoulder. She looks tired and cheerless, and the slightly hunched narrow shoulders suggest her vulnerability. She is dressed in pretty floral shawl, with her hair caught inside a delicate muslin cap edged with lace. This is a typical study by the portraitist and genre painter, Jean Jacquet, who was a highly successful pupil of the Neo-Classical genre painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Jacquet is best known for his genre scenes and portraits depicting woman and soldiers in 16th, 17th and 18th century costume. He was especially talented at painting women and Bouguereau's influence is evident in the smooth, beautifully coloured flesh tones of his female figures. This simple portrait is likely to date from relatively early in his career.