The artwork, titled “Billiards. A Kiss,” was created by Currier and Ives in 1874 and belongs to the Romanticism art movement. This piece is a caricature and is part of the “Billiards” series.
The artwork features a whimsical scene involving three figures gathered around a billiards table. The central figures, a man and a woman, are depicted in the act of sharing a light-hearted kiss. The man is bent slightly forward, holding a billiards cue in his left hand while he leans in toward the woman who, with playful affection, reciprocates the kiss. The woman is adorned in period attire, indicative of the 19th century, which underscores the romantic and nostalgic qualities characteristic of the Romanticism movement. To the right, an older gentleman, also holding a billiards cue and with a cigarette in his hand, appears to observe the interaction with a mix of curiosity and amusement. This caricature captures a moment of jovial intimacy and social interaction, skillfully combining humor with the genteel recreational activity of billiards.
