CHARLES CHAPLIN | LE RÊVE

Sale: Christie's, London, 2 July 2008, lot 242

Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Iridescent complexions created through subtle inflections of cream and rosy flesh tones grace the two figures in this present lot. The delicate brushstrokes highlight the sensuous flesh of the figures and the curved lines of their forms underline the dreamy atmosphere of the neo-Rococo style. Head thrown back in frenzied euphoria, the figure in the background stretches her arms out wide, one of which even transverses the edge of the canvas, as if she cannot be contained within the painting. Her face is lit up, captivating the onlooker and encouraging a voyeuristic viewing of the image. The female in the foreground is more reserved than her counterpart. Her gaze is downturn and she holds her arms behind her as if to shield the other figure from the onlooker. She wears strings of pearls draped about her neck and peeking out through her piled hair.

The work is constructed out of folds and angles of skin and fabric; layers of crinkled silk and tulle are draped around the female figures. Not only is the texture of the fabric proof of Chaplin’s skill at capturing the dynamism of activity and light, but also its success in the celebration of incandescent beauty. 

As one of the most famous artists France, Charles Chaplin achieved widespread acclaim through his portraits and landscapes. Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, was an ardent supporter of Chaplin’s neo-Rococo style and he quickly rose to one of the court's most revered artists, receiving an Honour Medal in 1865 and the title of Officier de la Legion d’Honneur in 1881.