Hugues Merle was a French painter of the Second Empire period who specialized in domestic scenes with a pronounced classicist sensibility. Merle tutored the wife of William Adolphe Bouguereau in art. Merle tended toward the emotional and poignant in his subject matter, and this painting is no exception, depicting a young girl with a melancholy gaze. This Mixed-Media painting is perfect for Italian Villas, French Chateaus, and the Best Interior Designers in the United States.