Symbolist school, follower of Eugene Carriere, "The Maternal Kiss," oil on canvas, early 20th century. The first thing that strikes you about this painting is the reddish-brown hue from which the figures, barely sketched in black, emerge: a mother kissing her daughter, whom she tenderly holds in her arms. These figures are barely sketched but, paradoxically, clearly defined. This kind of painting brings to mind paintings by Eugene Carriere, such as The Young Mother (1879) or "Maternal Kiss, Mother and Two Children" (1892): Eugène Carrière's art is evocative par excellence, his highly personal style increasingly evolving towards a monochromatism made of earth ochre that would also inspire Picasso in his early style. Misunderstood by the general public, he was appreciated by Gauguin and Denis. At the dawn of the new century, between academism and modernism, he became a key artist in the modern painting scene of the time. He was among the leaders of the "secessionist" movement that led to the founding of the National Society. In 1899, he taught at the Carrier Academy, attended by Matisse and Derain, who found there a complete freedom of expression that fostered their development, as did the Fauves, who exhibited at the Autumn Salon, for which Eugène Carrière fought so hard and of which he became the first president. The artist who painted this canvas was likely one of Carrier's students. In very good condition, with no restorations, it is housed in a period white lacquered frame. Canvas dimensions: 41 x 33 cm; frame: 60 x 50 cm.