Venster met gordijnen c. 1895 - 1910

This print, "Venster met gordijnen," depicts a window scene in cool blues, creams, and golds by Léon Laroche. I can almost imagine the artist experimenting with delicate line work, perhaps with lithography and watercolor washes, letting the composition emerge gradually through subtle shifts in tone and texture. The way the light catches the silk drapes is so graceful, almost sculptural. I wonder what Laroche was thinking about when he made it? Was he daydreaming about the elegance of the Louis XVI era? Or, maybe, just lost in the sheer pleasure of rendering folds and shadows with such exquisite detail. It reminds me of Fragonard, or even David Hockney's drawings—that playful attention to line and form, capturing a fleeting moment of beauty. In a way, Laroche, Fragonard, and Hockney are all in conversation, each adding their unique voice to the ongoing story of art. It just makes you want to pick up a pencil and start drawing.