1083 - Célestin André Marie Serenne (Nantes, 1846–1915) – Interior with convalescent youth and female figure (1896)

Célestin André Marie Serenne (Nantes, 1846–1915) – Interior with convalescent youth and female figure (1896) Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 105 × 110 cm; with original gilt 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 austerity of the interior and the predominance of dark tones focus attention on 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 being 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, an element of interest for the material and documentary study of the work. The painting was acquired in Paris and subsequently restored. It is kept in its original gilt frame.