Jan Verhas

This large-scale painting is both a highly accomplished portrait of a child and a depiction of a social class: the bourgeoisie. Two sisters are depicted: Germaine standing and Violette seated. The painter has drawn on the principles of Impressionism to render the vegetation and the way the light falls upon it. The choice of dunes as a backdrop also reflects a fascination with plein air painting, inherited from the Impressionists. However, the artist has retained a more realistic style for the girls’ faces. Their clothes and hats reflect their high social status, yet their poses are intended to be natural. The monumental scale of the painting makes it an attractive and intriguing work, as portraits are often more understated.

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