Description & Notes: Offered is a fine mid-19th Century chromolithograph after Joseph Pierre Olivier Coomans (Belgian, 1816-1889) titled ‘Family Life in Pompeii’. Exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salon’s Coomans became known for his Pompeian scenes from Antiquity.
In this family scene a woman and child leisurely enjoy the comforts of home. Situated within a lush interior filled with the exotic trapping of romanticized antiquity (a leopard fur rug, sphinx mounted fountain, draping brightly coloured embroidered fabrics, fine worked gold jewelry, hand-painted pottery and frescos) the woman, perhaps the child’s mother enjoys the process of watching her young progeny contemplate the necessities of daily life. On the ground to the left side of the child rests a doll with a severed arm and on the right side is found some thread which could be used to repair the toy. The mother relaxes in the chair the child is leaning against watching the child, whose left index finger is raised to the lips in thought, decipher the next mode of action. Draped over the woman’s legs is a piece of fabric which she is in the process of embroidering. The artist is saying nice things come from the fruits of our labour – support the arts.
Dimensions: 19 ¼” high x 15 1/8” wide
Markings: Signed in chromo lower left, “Joseph Coomans” and dated “1868”; original label lower left verso, “Prang’s / American Chromos. / A Family Scene in Pompeii / after Joseph Coomans / The Original in the possession of the Publishers / Chromo-Lithographed and Published by / L. Prang & Co., / Washington St., cor. Gardner Boston. / Entered according to —-Congress, in the year 1869 by L. Prang & Co, in the Clerk’s / Office … District C…. Of the … District of Mass.”; original label lower right outlining a list of Prang’s Chromos as of October 1, 1869
Condition: A period piece, it is offered in very good original condition. For accuracy there are two short scuffs to the surface in the woman’s dress, else excellent. The colours are bright and chromo superb, Prang was a master of his art.
