Mathurin Moreau (1822–1912)

The bi-form composition depicts an intimate, restrained scene where the relationship between the figures is emphasized not by gestures, but by subtle physical closeness and the way they turn towards each other. Moreau builds on the naturalness of the movements and the balance of proportions: the scene is not narrative, but atmospheric in nature. The sculpture fits well into the French decorative sculpture of the second half of the 19th century, which favored the idealized yet disciplined representation of everyday emotions.