*This painting is sold but the artist is regularly available in our inventory		Delphin Enjolras* French, b. 1857 Le Billet Doux (The Love Letter) Pastel on paper 21 1/2 x 14 7/8 in. (54.6 x 38 cm) 31 x 24 1/4 inches framed Signed lower left: D. Enjolras Delphin Enjolras was born in 1857 at Courcouron in the Ardeche. He had a formal artistic training studying under the celebrated teacher Gerome at the Beaux-Arts, and Dagnan-Bouveret. He painted some fine landscapes, in particular those hanging in the Musee du Puy, and the Musee Calvet d' Avignon. However the majority of Enjolras's oil paintings and pastels depict young ladies illuminated by lamplight. His subjects are often engaged in simple domestic pursuits such as reading, sewing or flower arranging, although at times, he sought a more intimate portrayal. The present work depicts a woman in evening dress perched on the arm of a chair reading a letter by the soft glow of a single lamp. The scene is rendered in painterly strokes, and celebrates the interplay of light and shadow, particularly across the wall and within the folds of the woman’s satin gown. The spray of crimson flowers on the desk and the warmth reflected on her skin allude to the letter’s romantic content.