Livorno, from the Fancy Bathers series (N187) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

"Livorno, from the Fancy Bathers series (N187)" was issued as a chromolithograph by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. Here, a bather is perched on a rope, her form rendered with a delicate balance of line and color. The composition is structured around the interplay between the figure and the landscape, each defined by distinct textures and tones. The bather’s figure is solid, defined by red and black outlines, whilst the background of sky and sea is created by a series of tiny dots, producing a more ethereal effect. The use of color is carefully calibrated, notice how the bold red swimsuit contrasts with the soft blue and green background, drawing the eye to the figure. The buttons running down the suit echo the dots of the background in a curious formal relationship. Through these formal choices, the artist creates a dynamic tension, exploring the relationship between the body and its environment, the real and the ideal. It invites ongoing interpretation of the structures of representation and desire.