Alfred Stevens was one of the first painters to respond to the European fascination with the art of Japan. He did not adopt their stylistic modes but incorporated Japanese objects, often from his own collection, into the décor of his paintings. At the right of this studio scene is a Japanese folding screen typical of the many panels that found their way into European interiors.

The two well-dressed visitors are viewing one of Stevens' own impressionistic seascapes, a painting on the progressive edge of a career that manifested a lingering commitment to more traditional academic art.

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