Date

18th-19th century

Creator

<span>A noted painter and printmaker of genre scenes, Boilly was active in the period during and after the French Revolution. His realist imagery and the moralizing quality found in some of his paintings closely allied him with the work of Jean-Baptiste Greuze and Honor<span style="font-size:13pt">é </span>Fragonard. A favorite setting was the artist's studio, in which he portrayed artists, often women, in serious, sometimes sensuous poses.<br/><br/>The Reilly drawing, 'Le Galant Artiste', represents three juxtapositions within that setting. A young woman is torn between family and professional pursuits. With her portfolio of drawings on her lap, she glances toward three figures discussing one of her works, while a small child clings to her neck and a gentleman kisses her hand-all of which reflect the fact that, after 1791, there was a new, public visibility of women artists pursuant to their admittance into the official Salon exhibitions. This drawing represents the resulting dilemma in balancing woman's traditional roles with her new professional status. G. Engelmann engraved the composition of this charming scene in reverse with the title, Embrasse moi, ma soeur [Kiss me, my sister]. The sketches on the verso could be further studies for 'Le Galant Artiste' or might relate to Boilly's painting, The Entrance to the Turkish Garden Café.<br/><br/>Adapted from Spiro, Master Drawings: Recent Gifts from the John D. Reilly Collection (Notre Dame, 2001)</span>