Thomas COUTURE (Senlis, 1815 - Villiers-le-Bel, 1879) Cenacle of poets Oil on canvas (Original canvas) Unframed H : 85.0 cm, W : 125.5 cm This atypical work is an amusing example of the creative process of one of the greatest painters of his time, Thomas Couture. Without even applying another layer of preparatory paint, he rushes onto a canvas predestined for a portrait of a woman seated in an interior, and frantically paints, in his characteristic style, a jumble of sometimes indistinct figures. The result is as intriguing as it is fascinating, and our eyes are treated to something the artist would probably never have wanted us to see: the materialisation of his creative madness. We would like to thank Thierry Cazaux for kindly confirming the authenticity of this work through a visual examination on 9 October 2023. Thomas COUTURE (Senlis, 1815 - Villiers-le-Bel, 1879) H: 85.0 cm, W: 125.5 cm This atypical work is an amusing example of the creative process of one of the greatest painters of his time, Thomas Couture. Without even applying another layer of preparatory paint, he rushes onto a canvas predestined for a portrait of a woman seated in an interior, and frantically paints, in his characteristic style, a jumble of sometimes indistinct figures. The result is as intriguing as it is fascinating, and our eyes are treated to something the artist would probably never have wanted us to see: the materialisation of his creative madness. We would like to thank Thierry Cazaux for kindly confirming the authenticity of this work through a visual examination on 9 October 2023.