Nicholas Gysis Greek, 1842-1901

As noted by Dr Nelly Missirli "Although this oil sketch by Gysis depicts a young girl kneeling on a chair to look into a mirror, its rendering is rather akin to the allegorical-symbolical forms found in several of Gysis's works from the beginning of his career.

The painting represents an ethereal being in a transparent white dress set against the red-brown interior of a house, her hair adorned with a light pink flower wreath, her foot resting lightly on a chair with blue seat and high back in order to look into the mirror. Although the scene takes place in an interior, the girl is a mirage, since everything about her is ethereal and her gaze, although directed towards the mirror, seems vague. Her long dark hair reinforces this sensation, but what mainly brings the work into the realm of the magical is Gysis's divine free stroke. The clothes, the hair and all the outlines of the background are rendered with unparalleled skill and agility, creating an atmosphere different to the usual themes of children. The work bears resemblance to the young girls in Gysis work Happiness, dancing around a tree in an idyllic atmosphere. In Gysis's case, small works often reveal a great artist."   

We are grateful to Dr Nelly Missirli for her assistance in cataloguing this work.