The Letter
The Met
Artist: Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca)(Italian, Venice 1701–1785 Venice)
Date: 1746
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 24 x 19 1/2 in. (61 x 49.5 cm)
Credit Line: Frederick C. Hewitt Fund, 1912
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A domestic scene with five figures: a woman sleeping, another working on a wig, an old woman, a child, and a man
Detailed Description
The painting depicts an indoor domestic scene with five figures against a dark olive-green wall. In the lower left, a woman with light skin is seated, leaning her head on her right hand, appearing to be asleep. She wears a light green dress with a pinkish-yellow shawl draped over her shoulders and a white cap. To her left, a small round table covered with a reddish-brown cloth holds a white wig stand with a white cap on it, and a small open book. In the center, a young woman with light skin and light brown hair is seated, wearing a white bodice and a long pink skirt. She is actively working on a wig, which rests on a white cloth on a small, light-colored table in front of her. Her hands are positioned as if styling or preparing the wig. Behind her, an older woman with wrinkled skin and a light green head covering stands, holding a spindle or similar tool in her hands, looking towards the wig. To the right of the central figures, a small child with light brown hair is seated on a low wooden stool, looking down at a small, open box or book in their hands. The child wears a light brown or beige dress. Further to the right, a man with light skin and a dark wig or hat is partially visible, entering the scene from the right edge. He wears a dark coat and a white cravat, and his right hand is extended forward. Above the figures, a clothesline stretches across the upper left and center of the wall, from which several pieces of white or light-colored laundry are hanging to dry. In the upper right, a wooden shelf is mounted on the wall, holding a white pitcher with a yellow floral design and a clear glass bottle. The floor is a light brown color.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
