Auguste Toulmouche
You might have seen this painting before—it is now used in hundreds of memes across the Internet, where contemporary viewers use it to express their moments of outrage or vindication.
The French artist who painted it, Toulmouche, was renowned for his idealized portraits of affluent Parisian women during a period when his contemporaries, such as Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, were venturing into the more relaxed and less structured realm of Impressionism. Toulmouche's style, known as Academic Realism, eventually yielded ground to the more enduring legacy of the Impressionist cohort.
One of Toulmouche's less famous works from that era, The Hesitant Fiancée, presents a scene featuring four women adorned in the luxurious attire and opulent settings typical of his subjects. What sets this painting apart, however, is the bride's somber expression. In 19th-century art, it was rare to encounter such independence. We see clearly that the bride is very unhappy with marrying the person her affluent family has chosen for her. What Toulmouche accomplished so effectively (and is now the cause of his popularity) is delving into the woman's inner thoughts.
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P.S. Explore this scene even further and learn the history behind this intriguing painting! And if you want to see more art from Victorian era, take a tour around 19th-century Paris and its society in paintings of Jean Béraud!