La femme en vert dans l’atelier 

Alfred Stevens painted “La femme en vert dans l’atelier,” or “Woman in Green in the Studio,” during a time of significant social change, particularly for women. The artwork presents a seated woman in an artist's studio contemplating a canvas. Stevens was known for depicting women in domestic settings, often focusing on their roles as muses or objects of leisure. Here, however, the woman's contemplative pose and direct gaze challenge traditional representations. She appears as an active participant in the artistic process, not just a passive subject. Is she pondering her own identity? Her future? What does she desire? The artwork's setting provides a lens through which we can consider issues of gender and class. The studio was a professional space, and the inclusion of a woman in this environment suggests a shift in women's roles. This piece offers a window into the complex interplay of gender, class, and creativity in the 19th century.