Henri Somm: Femme a l’éventail

Like other artists in Paris at the time, Somm was greatly influenced by the discovery of Japanese culture and especially Japanese woodblock prints in Europe. His works reflect a borrowing of Japanese elements, such as innovative use of perspective and composition. Our print shows a lady in profile, holding a fan decorated with Japanese style motifs. Its small format gives it a jewel-like feeling and a quick sketch of a young woman, probably sitting by a theatre balcony, an attempt to grasp a fleeting moment of here and now.