An exquisite oil on canvas depicting a late 18th-century lady reading a book while sprawled across a sofa.

It’s the height of decadence and she’s clearly lost in a love story. Note the symbolic references - the glint of a ring, a single rose… It’s interesting that the rose is atop black lace. Could she be mourning a loved one? Or is it simply a fashionable black shawl.

The artist Max Kaltenmoser (1842-1887) was highly skilled at capturing light within attractive interiors. See how her face is partially lit as she uses her hand as a shade. And how the light falls beautifully across the drapery.

But perhaps the most charming element is the turquoise shoe - slightly exposed as she rests it on a footstool.

The painting is monogrammed, signed/dated in the top right and housed within a fine 19th-century gilt frame.

Learn more about Max Kaltenmoser in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 25” x 22” / 64cm x 56cm
Year of creation: 1873
Condition: Overall very presentable.
Artist’s Auction Highlight: £15,200 achieved for 'A Game of Dice' at Christie's in 1995.