The Arbor

The Arbor, circa 1906. In this scene, reminiscent of 17th-century fêtes-galantes, several women in colorful dress are relaxing in a park, either at Versailles or St.-Cloud. Two women resting in chairs in the foreground ignore a monkey who torments a white parrot perched in the bars of a gold cage. One woman holds a fan and one has hung her straw hat on the back of her chair. Another women stands off to the right, leaning against the arbor. There is a large, elaborate stone fountain in the background, with a nude sculpture at the top and putti figures encircling the base. It shoots several streams of water into the air. Thick vines and flowers grow over the arbor, and the grass is a lush green. The scene is bathed in a golden-orange light, which reflects on everything from the water in the fountain to the clothing of the women. Creator: Gaston la Touche. (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)