Lysiane, oil on canvas by Gustave Max Stevens
Gustave-Max Stevens (1871–1946) trained at the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts in the studio of Jean-François Portaels, and later in that of Fernand Cormon in Paris. A founding member of the “Le Sillon” circle in 1893, he played a significant role in the art world, both through his painting—which allowed him to exhibit at numerous salons—and through his work as a critic and lecturer.
A fervent admirer of the Pre-Raphaelites, he obtained drawings from Burne-Jones that he exhibited at Le Sillon in 1895, where they caused a sensation.
The work we present here belongs to this mature period of the artist’s career, when he favored idealized female figures imbued with a meditative gentleness. The light palette, the free brushwork, and the background deliberately devoid of perspective create an atmosphere of dreamlike sensuality. The woman is dressed in an antique-style toga, sensually revealing her left shoulder as she leans toward a flower to savor its fragrance.
The influence of the Preraphaelites and artists such as Burne-Jones is evident in this work.
An old label affixed to the back bears the handwritten inscription “Salon de Gand,” suggesting that the work was exhibited at one of the triennial editions of the Salon de Gand in the early 20th century.
Frame dimensions : 74.5x95.5cm
