Title

What Can It Be? by Madame Thuillier, 1870. Creator: Unknown.

Caption

What Can It Be? by Madame Thuillier, 1870. Engraving of a painting. 'The lady of the house was out at night to a masquerade, or to some assignation for which she took the precaution of wearing a domino, and, returning home late, she has carelessly thrown down domino, and gloves, and fan on the table of an ante-room. There is a wineglass, too, on the table, from which jaded and worn, she may have sought to relieve her exhaustion! Early in the morning, before these things are removed or madame is likely to appear, a little paysanne, ragged, unkempt, and barefooted, has brought fresh-gathered strawberries to the house...Admitted to the room and left to herself for a few moments, she places her scales and fruit on the floor, and, with the curiosity of her sex, her eyes are fixed in perplexity on the domino. "What can it be?" What purpose can it serve? What can be seen through those gaping eye-holes? Who could wish to wear a mask so hideous? It is something quite out of the sphere of her experience; and it will be no loss if she never again makes acquaintance with it. The picture, which is very well painted, by a lady whose name - Madame de Thuiller - is new to us, is in the exhibition of pictures...at the French Gallery, Pall-mall'. From "Illustrated London News", 1870.

Credit line

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Reference

HRM24A49_368

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

License type

Droits gérés

Available size

54,4Mo (4,9Mo) / 31,1cm x 43,9cm / 3668 x 5184 (300dpi)

Keywords

nature people child children girl girls interior work job mask curiosity curious fruit flower flowers plant plants arts painting body bodies fan art occupation clothes British feet foot morning dress party poor poverty century strawberry strawberries Britain profession inside inquisitive newspapers press picture barefoot clothing print concept pictures exhibition vase hood domino time of day APPAREL B&W bare feet morning after MASQUERADE engraved engraving street vendor street seller cloak handheld Homeware fancy Dress Party 19th century Indoors black & white black and white B W hand held nineteenth century fancy dress The Print Collector child labour Illustrated London News street trader the body The Morning After wood engraving ILN newspaper Unknown Le Matin 19th-century clothing & dress fashion & clothing The Illustrated London News Louise Mornard Louise Thuillier de Mornard Louise Thuillier Thuillier de Mornard Louise Thuillier Louise Mornard Louise