Beatrice and Benedict, Act I: Nocturne, from Hector Berlioz's Opera "Beatrice and Benedict (1862)" c. 1888

Henri Fantin-Latour created this lithograph, "Beatrice and Benedict, Act I: Nocturne," in 1862. It depicts a scene from Hector Berlioz's opera, set in the cultural milieu of 19th-century France, where opera was a significant social and artistic institution. The print captures a quiet, intimate moment between two women in a garden illuminated by moonlight. Fantin-Latour’s focus on female relationships aligns with the period’s emerging, if often constrained, explorations of female identity and companionship. Here, the artist challenges the traditional representation of women by showing them sharing a private moment and finding solace in each other's company. The women are connected to the natural world. One extends a hand to the fountain, suggesting a sense of belonging and shared experience. The print reflects societal interest in how women find and create their own spaces for emotional expression. The ethereal nocturne setting adds to the sense of the women’s shared emotions.