Bath Houses Under the Cliffs (1874) by Louise Abbéma Style:Wood frame creating a vivid storm of

creating a vivid storm of movement and unity

not a known lover or sitter

but Leyendecker’s male ideal was shaped by Charles Beach

the “abduction” reads less like a hero’s tale and more like women-centred theatre: pleasure

Perfect for those who adore cowboy romance

Bath Houses Under the Cliffs (1874) by Louise Abbéma Style:Wood frame creating a vivid storm ofLouise Abbmas Bath Houses Under the Cliffs (1874) catches a seaside afternoon before it performs for anyone: white bathing huts, dark cliffs, tiny figures and weather rolling in. Painted when Abbma was just beginning her public career, it is one of two beach scenes catalogued by Bonhams as oil on paper laid down on canvas. No known lover or sitter is attached; the queer charge sits with Abbma herself, a Belle poque artist who lived openly as a lesbian