Pair of 18th-century “habillé” pictures – Galant and pastoral scenes
These meticulous compositions—characteristic of the paper-cut art and relief pictures of the Louis XVI era—feature figures dressed in real fabrics (silk, muslin, ribbons) finely fashioned in three dimensions. They are set against a landscape background painted in gouache and enhanced with naturalistic relief elements such as moss, small twigs, and dried flowers.
First picture: Depicts a pastoral scene in which a couple strolls through a garden. The lady, wearing a checkered dress and a lace-trimmed muslin apron, holds a basket filled with flowers. Beside her, her companion—wearing a yellow hat—holds a spade, evoking Enlightenment themes regarding the return to nature and the pleasures of country life.
Second picture: Represents a scene in a drawing room or winter garden, where a couple shares a moment of refreshment at a table. The lady, seated in a curved-back armchair, is being served by a man pouring a hot beverage (coffee or chocolate) from a pot into a porcelain cup. The setting is enriched with a high-relief floral trellis.
France, 18th century
Dimensions including frame: 37 cm x 48 cm.
