Daydream

Chaplin employed delicate glazing to achieve the soft, luminous skin tones and the subtle gradations of the background. The restrained color scheme and gentle lighting are characteristic of his approach to portraiture, which blends Realist observation with a refined, almost lyrical sensibility. The brushwork is smooth, avoiding visible strokes to maintain a serene surface.

Although Chaplin worked in various media—including pastels and lithographs—*Daydream* was executed in oil, aligning with his primary output of portraiture. The painting entered the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires in the early 20th century, where it has been catalogued as a representative example of mid‑nineteenth‑century French genre painting.