Frontispiece: Daphnis and Chloe (Daphnis et Chloe enlaces) Possibly 1937

Aristide Maillol made this illustration, Daphnis and Chloe, with ink on paper. I can just imagine Maillol's pen dancing across the page, each stroke a delicate exploration of form and feeling. There's a real sense of intimacy between the figures, isn't there? I wonder what Maillol was thinking about as he rendered the embrace. Was he thinking about classical ideals of beauty, or something more personal and immediate? The economy of line is striking – how much he conveys with so little. It reminds me a bit of Matisse in its simplicity and elegance. The composition feels timeless, echoing the art of ancient Greece while still feeling fresh and modern. Painters and artists, we're all in this ongoing conversation, riffing off each other, inspiring each other across time. This piece is a perfect example of how art can embrace ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations and meanings.