Tineuse de cartes 1891

Charles Maurin created "Tineuse de cartes" using etching and aquatint. The print presents a seated woman absorbed by scattered playing cards on a table, rendered in warm oranges and reds. The woman's posture, her face resting in her hands, conveys a sense of contemplative quiet, contrasting with the vibrant table. Maurin's composition is structured by the interplay of color and form. The planar background creates an ambiguous sense of space, which challenges traditional perspective. The cards introduce a semiotic dimension, hinting at chance and destiny. This invites us to consider how meaning is generated through the artwork's visual elements. Maurin's print prompts us to reflect on the instability of meaning, mirroring the unpredictable nature of the cards themselves.