Finette 

Jules-Frédéric Ballavoine painted ‘Finette’ using oil paints. The choice of oil on canvas places this work squarely within the traditions of fine art. Look closely, and you’ll notice the brushstrokes, particularly around the dog's fur and the grassy ground. Each stroke reveals the artist's hand, building up layers of color and texture. The handling of the paint gives a sense of the dog's soft fur and the outdoor setting. But in the late 19th century, painting like this was far from an amateur activity. The preparation of pigments, mixing of paints, and application techniques all required specialist skills. Consider, too, the social context. The rise of the middle class created a demand for images like this – portraits, but of beloved pets rather than people. ‘Finette’ reminds us that even seemingly simple artworks are deeply rooted in materials, making, and the society that produced them.