Paul and Virginia before 1872

"Paul and Virginia" is an anonymous print depicting the tragic lovers from Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's novel of the same name. The scene shows Paul and Virginia standing side-by-side, with a large leaf held over their heads as a makeshift umbrella. This image likely reflects a scene from the novel, which follows the romance of the two young protagonists who face hardship and ultimately lose their lives. The print is a sentimental and evocative representation of the novel's themes of love, loss, and the power of nature.