Lily Arena Assise (Seated) by Edgar Chahine
Lily Arena Assise (Seated)
Edgar Chahine
Title
Lily Arena Assise (Seated)
Artist
Edgar Chahine
1874 - 1947 (biography)Year
1907
Technique
drypoint
Image Size
21 1/2 x 17 1/4" platemark
Signature
pencil, lower left
Edition Size
edition of 50
Annotations
Reference
Taganelli 242; Sites 56, illustrated pg. 92.
Paper
ivory Japon Nacre
State
i/i
Publisher
artist
Inventory ID
22658
Price
$1,350.00
Description
This drypoint is one of the artist's most well known and charming images. The subject, Lily Arena, seated in full costume with her legs crossed, looks the viewer in the eye with a self assured, beguling expression on her face. She is a symbol of self confidence.
Returning to "Belle Epoque" portraiture in 1907 after the death of his fiance, Mary Jacobson, Chahine, like Toulouse-Lautrec, turned his focus to Parisian entertainers, like Lily Arena.
Gabriel Weisberg, in his essay in "Edgar Chahine: La Vie Parisienne" notes on page 23:
"With Lautrec often the guiding presence, Chahine also tried to synthesize the work of Paul Helleu and thus remain the master interpreter of women among Parisian printmakers..."