Return from the ball

Henri Gervex
Henri Gervais (French historical genre and portrait painter,) 1852 -1929
The couple just returned from the ball, which can be understood by the woman's ball gown, as well as by the name of the picture. It is quite obvious that the event was not very happy for them. Most likely, a quarrel broke out between the spouses because of jealousy. Looking closely, you can see that the husband is much older than his young wife. Although we do not see the woman's face, the artist makes it clear that she is very pretty and attracts the attention of fans. There is a bouquet of flowers on the floor near the sofa, which was probably presented to the upset woman by one of the guests of the ball. This, of course, angered the jealous spouse, and at home he threw this bouquet in her face. Flower petals are scattered on the floor, like fragments, hinting that the couple's marriage has broken into smithereens. But a disheveled bouquet is not the worst thing in this picture. Looking closely, you can see that the man is sitting in one glove. This means that he threw the second in the face of his offender, challenging him to a duel. At that time, duels were quite commonplace, so there is no doubt that the fight will take place and one of the warring ones will soon be dead. every chance of being a widow. However, if she did not love her husband, then she will not feel the bitterness of loss and will be able to marry the one for whom the heart tells.