Femme debout et buste de femme 1867 - 1869

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes created this sketch “Femme debout et buste de femme” with graphite on paper. Born in 1824, Puvis de Chavannes came of age during the French Second Empire. Looking at this sketch, one sees how the classical style prevalent at the time becomes a canvas for exploring the female form and identity. The standing woman, draped in classical robes, evokes a sense of timelessness. The bust, however, offers a more intimate, immediate presence. She directs her gaze away, perhaps lost in thought. The intersection of the classical with a modern sensibility reflects the artist's own negotiation of tradition and modernity. How does the artist use the female figure to explore ideas about beauty, history, and memory, and how do these representations reflect the complex social and cultural landscape of 19th-century France?