Скачать или смотреть First love letter (1884) by Eduard Quitton

Edward Quitton’s First Love Letter (1884) portrays a tender yet uneasy domestic moment: a young woman’s secret correspondence has been uncovered by her parents. At the center, the father examines the letter taken from the wardrobe while the mother leans forward with curiosity, her body language showing concern rather than anger. Scattered on the floor beneath them lie postcards, a notebook, and a photograph, all likely tokens from the daughter’s admirer, adding a tangible sense of intimacy to the discovery. Their expressions suggest not outrage but a quiet, protective worry, as if questioning whether this hidden romance could harm their daughter’s reputation or future.

Meanwhile, the daughter stands apart, turned toward the mantelpiece with her head bowed, unable to face their gaze. She arranges flowers in a vase, feigning preoccupation while her flushed posture betrays her embarrassment. Above her hang portraits of the parents with a smaller photograph of her between them, symbolizing her central place in the family and hinting that she may be their only child. Quitton captures both the vulnerability of youthful love and the parental instinct to protect, rendering a universal scene of family intimacy with striking realism and emotional nuance.