1083 - Célestin André Marie Serenne (Nantes, 1846–1915) – Interior with a Convalescing Youth and a Female Figure (1896)

Célestin André Marie Serenne (Nantes, 1846–1915) – Interior with a Convalescing Youth and a Female Figure (1896) Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 105 × 110 cm; with original gilded frame: 118 × 124 cm. The work is signed “C. Serenne” and dated 1896 in the upper left corner. This important composition, intimate and narrative in nature, depicts a young woman seated and reclining on a large white cushion, accompanied by an elderly woman who gently rests a hand on her shoulder. The austere interior and the predominance of dark tones draw attention to the young woman’s face, hands, and white blouse, creating a scene of remarkable psychological intensity and emotional depth. According to information provided by the owner, during the restoration process, an earlier signature was discovered beneath the one currently visible, a circumstance that had previously led to the work being cataloged as by Évariste Vital Luminais (1821–1896). Célestin André Marie Serenne was also related to Luminais as the painter’s son-in-law. The stretcher bears a maker’s or canvas supplier’s mark from Nantes, the artist’s birthplace, a detail of interest for the material and documentary study of the work. The painting was acquired in Paris and subsequently restored. It is housed in its original gilded frame.