The Dream of a Sixteen-Year-Old

Natale Schiavoni · ca. 1820
Oil on canvas
Venice, Italy - Palazzo Treves, Private Collection
LDA · XXXIII · MMXXV

Source
Book · La Pittura Veneta dell’Ottocento · Fratelli Fabbri Editori · 1967 · p. 42

Schiavoni portrays the reclining young woman in a controlled interior setting where drapery, upholstery and floral arrangements construct an atmosphere of privacy rather than narrative. The pose, with the head resting on crossed hands, reflects conventions of sensual repose common in 19th-century Italian painting. The heavy red curtain forms an architectural backdrop, enclosing the figure spatially and directing attention toward the nude shoulders and upper torso. Decorative objects at the periphery function as elements of setting, contributing to the visual refinement of the composition while maintaining focus on the body.

Reposting welcome; please credit Libreria d’Arte - Studio Soli.