Resting Lady

Mihály Munkácsy lived a life of luxury in Paris, as his successes ensured an abundance of commissions. Marrying Cécile Papier in 1874 brought a turning point not only in his personal life, but in his art as well. Munkácsy, who up to this point could be described as a painter of peasant genres, a romantic realist, started to experiment with new subjects, including still lifes and salon scenes, an elegant form of the bourgeois genre. The two forms are closely related: while working on salon scenes, Munkácsy painted a great many still lifes, initially for study purposes. What was first considered mere preparatory work would soon produce a class of self-sufficient works. The scenery for the genres and society scenes was provided by Munkácsy’s lavishly furnished studio, where Resting Lady was almost certainly painted. The piece was probably bought by Charles Sedelmeyer, the artist’s dealer, when the estate was put on auction.