The Waitress, attributed to Ernest Meissonier (1815-1891)

Oil on canvas
The work is signed with the artist's monogram in the upper left corner.
This small painting, which we attribute to Ernest Meissonier (1815-1891), illustrates his talent for genre painting.

A charming genre scene depicting a young servant in profile, holding a tray on which rest a carafe and a glass. The delicate rendering of the flesh, the simplicity of the background, and the subtle interplay of light reveal a Dutch influence, in the tradition of the 17th-century masters revisited in the 19th century.

The costume white headdress, laced bodice, and apron as well as the model's natural pose, lend the whole a great freshness and understated elegance. The brushwork is fluid, with a beautiful mastery of the contrasts between the warm tones of the garment and the darker shades of the background.

Presented in a period giltwood frame with beaded decoration, this work will captivate with its intimate and timeless character.