Femme peintre en bord de mer 

Alfred Stevens gives us in this watercolour painting a view of a woman by the sea, likely made in the late 19th century. Here, the act of painting itself becomes a potent symbol. The blank canvas before the painter represents the sea as a mirror of the self. The woman stares at it, in search of inspiration, perhaps longing for reflection. I recall similar representations, going back to the ancient myth of Narcissus, captivated by his reflection in the water. Yet here, the blank canvas takes the place of the pool, suggesting an artistic self-absorption. The sea is a recurring motif. It has appeared across cultures as a symbol of the unconscious. Here, the painting seems to reflect a deep, perhaps troubled, inner world. This image acts as a reminder of art's power to reveal the artist's innermost feelings. Just as the sea is ever-changing, so too is the process of artistic creation, and the canvas stands as a silent witness to this eternal cycle of perception and expression.