Alfred Stevens - In the Studio [1888]

Alfred Stevens - In the Studio [1888], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

I'm really loving these "behind the scenes" type paintings by Alfred Stevens. They are no less epic, jewel-like than conventional narratives, and probably more interesting than the actual painting on the easel in this picture. I get the rare and peculiar feeling of actually peering back through a window in time, which I don't get as much looking at old black and white photos from the same era.

"La Psyche" (Mon Atelier) by Alfred Stevens

LA PSYCHÉ (MON ATELIER) (1871), a photo by artinconnu on Flickr.

I know I am not alone in being intrigued by candid views of painters' studios of the past. It's like the behind the scenes bonus material where you get to see what's behind the magic. The stretchers are stuck with keys and a file is overstuffed with drawings or reproductions, and paintings are hung over other paintings. When there's a mirror in a painting ALWAYS look into it, because that's where something fun is probably hidden. The woman's eyes in the reflection meet ours as a little touch of surprise.