The Suitor's Gift

The painting is in the tradition of bourgeois genre scenes, which examine the many sides of love. These works were greatly sought after by the public and collectors alike. A beautiful, elegantly dressed young woman looks out knowingly at the viewer as she receives the attentions of a suitor. On the table in front of her a luxurious gift box lies open.

This canvas is a typical example of Boilly’s depictions of young women, as illustrated by a comparison with the Hermitage’s The Painter.