Artwork
Right Figure (cartoon for the south wall, dining room, Dorchester House)
Right Figure (cartoon for the south wall, dining room, Dorchester House) is an oil painting by the Realist artist Alfred Stevens. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1860 by the Belgian artist Alfred Stevens, this oil painting served as a preparatory cartoon for the south‑wall decoration of the dining room at Dorchester House. The composition features a solitary woman reclined on a couch, her white dress billowing as she lifts a piece of fabric overhead with her right hand.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is rendered with her face turned toward the left, hair neatly gathered, and a poised yet relaxed bearing. The setting is minimal, a light‑toned wall punctuated by a darker object, allowing the viewer’s attention to remain on the graceful movement of the dress and the subtle gesture of the hand.
Technique & Style
Stevens employs a refined realism, echoing the meticulous finish of 17th‑century Dutch genre works. His handling of light and shadow creates a gentle chiaroscuro, modeling the folds of the dress and the contours of the body while preserving a smooth, polished surface typical of his mature oeuvre.
History & Provenance
Initially conceived as a full‑scale cartoon, the work was intended to guide the decorative scheme of Dorchester House’s dining room. Though the final wall treatment has not survived, the oil painting remains a testament to Stevens’s role in integrating fine art with interior design projects in mid‑19th‑century Paris.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfred Émile Léopold Stevens (11 May 1823 – 24 August 1906) was a Belgian painter, known for his paintings of elegant modern women.
