Evening at the Shore — Alfred Stevens | Art Postcard

A mother in a pale pink gown sits on a bench, a sleeping baby in a white christening dress cradled in her arms; a small straw hat and a posy of flowers rest on the table beside her. A young girl in a black dress, her long blonde hair caught by a blue ribbon, stands apart with her back turned to a stormy grey sea and a fading sunset on the horizon. The mood is quieter and more contemplative than Stevens's usual seaside scenes — something unresolved sits in the girl's turned back and the darkening water beyond her.

This emotional register is rare in his coastal work, making the painting one of the more affecting pieces in the Alfred Stevens postcard collection. Reproduced at 10×15 cm on 350 g/m² cardstock, well suited to a thoughtful letter or a place in a collector's set.