Woman in Mirror
Artist
Émile-Jean Sulpis
French, 1856 - 1942
Dateca. 1900
MediumColor aquatint with drypoint
DimensionsOverall (Left): 9 15/16 × 6 3/8 in. (25.2 × 16.2 cm)
Overall (Right): 9 15/16 × 6 3/8 in. (25.2 × 16.2 cm)
Matboard: 13 3/8 × 19 in. (34 × 48.3 cm)
Overall (Right): 9 15/16 × 6 3/8 in. (25.2 × 16.2 cm)
Matboard: 13 3/8 × 19 in. (34 × 48.3 cm)
ClassificationsPrints
Credit LineThe Sparling Family Collection
Object number2025.1.75
On View
On viewSignedOn both prints, bottom right corner below print in pencil: "E. Sulpis"
MarkingsOn left print, front bottom left corner in pencil: "No 6"
On left print, front bottom left corner below print in pencil: "Couluss [?] 7/9 da 5 état"
On left print, verso top left corner in pencil: "Planche 6"
On left print, verso bottom right corner in pencil: "6" and "X"
On right print, front bottom left corner in pencil: "6"
On right print, front bottom left corner below print in pencil: "Estampage 1/1 da Le Etat"
On right print, front bottom right corner in pencil: "6"
On right print, verso, bottom right corner in pencil: "6"
DescriptionTwo color prints of a woman looking in the mirror. Both prints are of the same image, the differences are in the color and clarity of the image. The left print has clearer details and is done in purple, white, black, and a hint of red on cream paper. The right print is done in yellow ink on black paper and acts almost as the inverse of the left print. In the image, a woman stands in profile on the left-side of the print, and gazes into a mirror that gazes back at her on the right-hand side. The woman is dressed in a flowy/loose long-sleeve blouse, and her black hair is tucked under a wrap that knots at the front of her head. She wears an earring that dangles almost to her chin, and a necklace with a beaded chain and a pendant on the end. Her lips are red, there is a hint of blush on her cheek, and her top and bottom eyelashes are prominent against her white skin. The woman reaches out with her proper left hand to touch the border of the mirror, and with her proper right hand she plays with the necklace she wears. The mirror reflection of this woman holds the same pose with the right-hand playing with the necklace, however the left-hand cannot be seen. The reflection wears the same cap, and has the same hair, though it seems the blouse in the reflection has a higher collar than that of the physical woman. Also, the reflection does not depict the makeup the woman is wearing, showing a natural face in contrast to the done-up woman standing before the mirror. In the right print, these details of the makeup and the earring she wears are lost due to the single color used. However, the distinction between the reflection and the physical woman are still translated.Exhibition History"French Prints from the Tobin Sparling Collection," The Hyde Collection, Hoopes Gallery, Feb. 14-July 26, 2026.ProvenanceHarris Schrank, New York City; purchased by Tobin Sparling, Little Rock, Arkansas, March 13, 2008; given to The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, New York, 2025.
