Artwork
Divination in Tea Leaves
Divination in Tea Leaves is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Alfred Brennan. It dates from 1879 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Alfred Brennan’s 1879 work *Divination in Tea Leaves* is an etching executed on laid paper, rendered entirely in black. The print captures a solitary figure engaged in the practice of tasseography, presenting a quiet, intimate scene that reflects Victorian interests in the occult and domestic ritual.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman dressed in a long, flowing gown with a delicate lace collar. She leans forward, one hand supporting a small, round mirror while the other hovers over a teacup, suggesting she is interpreting the patterns left by the tea leaves. The pose conveys concentration and the private nature of fortune‑telling.
Technique & Style
Brennan employs the etching process to achieve fine, sketch‑like lines that delineate the folds of fabric and the texture of the surrounding wall. The use of laid paper enhances the tonal variation, allowing subtle gradations of black to suggest depth and the atmospheric darkness of the interior.
Context
Created during the late nineteenth century, the print aligns with a period when spiritualism and divination were fashionable among the middle classes. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work is catalogued among Brennan’s prints from the 1870s, reflecting his interest in everyday scenes infused with symbolic undertones.
Artist & collection
