La jupe rouge 1845 - 1848

Félix Ziem created "La jupe rouge" with oil on wood during the height of his career. The image presents a woman turned away from us, the viewer, her red skirt the brightest element in an otherwise somber scene. Ziem was a French painter associated with the Barbizon School, a group that advocated painting en plein air to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. While Ziem’s landscapes often depicted Venice, this intimate portrait suggests a different kind of engagement. The woman’s anonymity is striking. Her averted gaze invites speculation about her social standing and emotional state within the cultural norms of 19th-century France. What are her thoughts? Is she turning away from us, or something else? As historians, we can consider how Ziem's artistic choices reflected and perhaps challenged the prevailing social structures. By examining exhibition records, critical reviews, and other archival materials, we gain insight into the social conditions that shaped both the production and the reception of this work.