Oil On Cardboard, The Serenade Attributed To Stéphane Baron

Stéphane BARON (1830-1921)
is a French painter exercising his talent in genre scenes as well as religious compositions or landscapes.

The son of an engraver, he began his artistic initiation in his father's studio before settling in Paris and taking lessons from Léon Coignet.
He began by exhibiting at the Salon de Lyon, where he was noticed then in 53 in Paris, where he would not stop exhibiting until his death.
He also develops a very good talent as a watercolourist.

Our painting represents a charming serenade scene. In the oldest form, which still survives today, the serenade is a composition performed in order to seduce a person. (often under the windows)
Such compositions can be found from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

The painter has chosen here a very romantic representation, a very languid young girl in front of a young page, playing the lute.
A young child holds her hand and a dog - a representation of loyalty - looks at them. His works can be found in museums such as the Louvre.