The dance of the nymphs

Edouard Bisson was a student of Jean-Léon Gérôme and exhibited at the Salon until 1939. He gained popularity for his works from around 1900 which reflected the beauty of women in La Belle Epoque. In the present work, Bisson has used his favoured soft palette to show light shimmering through ethereal clouds and opaque dresses. Nymphs weightlessly dance whilst a disporting Cupid adds humour and movement to this large composition. He gained many awards, including a bronze medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1900, and was made Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in 1908.