Liseuses by Hawkins

Liseuses – Louis Welden Hawkins, 1898

Louis Welden Hawkins (1849–1910)
Liseuses, 1898

A refined and tranquil composition by Louis Welden Hawkins, one of the leading Symbolist painters of the fin-de-siècle. Published in L’Estampe Moderne, this lithograph depicts two women absorbed in reading — a theme of introspection and quietude that Hawkins often explored in his paintings. The soft tonal harmonies and delicate outlines reflect both his Symbolist sensibility and the influence of Art Nouveau design.

Details
Color lithograph on wove paper
Signed and dated “1898” in the image
Blind stamp of L’Estampe Moderne (lower right, Lugt 2790)
Printed by L’Imprimerie Champenois; distributed by Masson & Piazza
From L’Estampe Moderne, Vol. 2, No. 22, February 1899
Sheet size: 40.5 × 30.8 cm / 15.9 × 12.1 in.
Condition: Excellent; full margins, vibrant impression

Comments
An elegant and contemplative work that exemplifies Hawkins’s subtle Symbolist approach. The artist’s delicate handling of light and the serenity of the figures evoke the quiet intimacy of late 19th-century domestic life