“The Kiss”
Love is in the air…
“The Kiss” is an oil on canvas by the Swiss artist, Théophile Steinlen. It is undated but a preparatory sketch made circa 1895 suggests a similar date. Though mostly remembered for his art of cats (which are fantastic), Steinlen created numerous pieces of art depicting life in Paris. He was apparently a lover because quite a few of those pieces are of people kissing.
In this painting, a couple is standing in an embrace, kissing. The man has his arms wrapped around the woman who is leaning back for the kiss. It is a darker painting and appears to be a night scene. Steinlen fills the canvas with an orange-red glow, lighting up the couple as if by nighttime oil lamps. The man is wearing a long-sleeved shirt, with darker pants that almost blend into the background. The woman has bright red hair, glowing in the ambient light. She is wearing a dark dress, which also blends into the background scene. Her left arm hangs by her side. The couple are standing outside next to a large tree which frames the left and top parts of the canvas. Trees are visible in the distance in the background. Steinlen’s signature is visible in the bottom left.
Luckily for us, there is a preparatory sketch for this painting allowing comparisons to be made. The pastel and chalk sketch has more robust lines, giving a firmer view of the couple. In the final painting, the lines are soft colors that blend into each other, creating a dreamlike quality. The couple are in the same position. In the sketch, they appear to be indoors, leaning against a door frame whereas the painting setting is outdoors, as evident from the trees. This sketch is dated to circa 1895 and was sold at an art auction in 2013.
“The Kiss” is currently in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.
For more on Théophile Steinlen, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
