Jean-Augustin Franquelin (1798-1839) Getting up

Jean-Augustin Franquelin, born in Paris on 1 September 1798 and died in the same city on 4 January 1839, was a French painter trained in the studio of Jean-Baptiste Regnault.

He exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1819 to 1839, winning a gold medal in 1827. He was particularly known for his scenes of public life, conversation pieces, and depictions of women in bourgeois or regional interiors, which satisfied public demand.
Among his most famous works are La Prise de Brisach, an official commission now housed at the Palace of Versailles, as well as paintings in museums in Grenoble, Amiens and Fécamp.

Jean-Augustin Franquelin was a painter of classical Romanticism, specialising in elegant genre scenes, portraits and regional subjects. Renowned for his technical mastery and sentimental compositions, he left behind a prolific body of work exhibited at the Salon for two decades. His works, now scattered throughout French museums, bear witness to his remarkable talent as part of the 19th-century French school.
This painting by Jean-Augustin Franquelin, a 19th-century artist renowned for his genre scenes imbued with tenderness and realism, immerses us in the intimacy of a modest interior bathed in soft, warm light. Two young women are depicted, captured in a moment of simple yet deeply expressive life.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, one of them combs her hair in front of a small mirror placed on a wooden table. Her focused, slightly smiling face conveys a sense of morning tranquillity. She is wearing a white blouse with rolled-up sleeves and a bright green skirt, contrasting nicely with the austere surroundings. At her feet, an orange-coloured scarf lies carelessly, as if abandoned in the rush to get up.Lying on the bed, the other young woman, wrapped in a white sheet, stretches languidly, still half caught up in the comfort of sleep. Her relaxed attitude suggests a certain closeness with her companion; perhaps sisters, friends, or two lodgers sharing the same room under the eaves.The details of the décor the exposed beams on the ceiling, the rudimentary furniture, the scattered clothes, the books piled on a shelf, the toiletries subtly depict the daily life of young women from the working class or lower middle class. An oval portrait hanging on the wall and an image of a horseman, probably cut out from an engraving, suggest dreams of love or escape, adding a poetic touch to the scene. With his precise and delicate brushstrokes, Franquelin captures the essence of everyday life with humanity and kindness. This painting, both modest and deeply expressive, pays tribute to the beauty of ordinary moments and the discreet grace of simple gestures.

Dimensions with frame:

Height: 60 cm
Width: 53 cm

Oil on canvas signed ‘Franquelin’ at the bottom left.