Man Offering a Woman Coins

This painting is euphemistically known as The Gallant Officer. In this mercenary love scene a soldier offers pieces of money to a young lady who is charming in type and dress. Her reaction is not surprise. The stuff painting is particularly excellent, as is the rendering of the facial expressions and the fine draughtsmanship and subtle lighting of the hands; also the still-life on the table. The apparent casualness is the result of careful thought and execution. The appearance of the tip of the woman’s shoe peeking out from under the edge of her satin dress at the tremendous toe of the soldier’s wonderful hip boot is as calculated as the colour harmony of opulent browns, reds, buff, white, and silver.