Reverie 1878

Alfred Stevens made this oil painting, Reverie, using brushes, pigments and canvas, and although these are traditional art materials, it’s how he used them that I want to focus on. The artwork is rich with textural contrasts. Look at the ruffles of the woman’s dress, painted with an almost feverish energy, versus the soft and diffused rendering of her face. This is achieved with rapid strokes of the brush, a technique that captures both light and movement. It’s easy to appreciate the beauty of her clothing, but pause and consider how that elaborate dress was fabricated. The artist directs our attention to the garment, alluding to the enormous labor required to produce it. This wasn’t just Stevens showing off painterly skill; it was him recognizing that everyday beauty is intertwined with the realities of labor, politics, and consumption. So next time you see a painting, think about not just what’s depicted, but how it’s made, and what that tells us about the world.