The artwork titled “Scene II – Betrothed. Woman on Man’s Lap” by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, created in 1877, belongs to the Kitsch art movement. It is an illustration and is part of the series “The Tale of a Wedded Life, in Ten Scenes.” The artwork portrays a unique and intimate moment between a man and a woman.
In the artwork, a woman is seated on the lap of a man, with the man’s right arm around her waist and his left hand gently cradling her face as he leans in to kiss her. The characters are depicted with exaggerated and comical expressions, which are characteristic of Coolidge’s style. The setting appears to be indoors, with a simple background that includes a small pail and a cabinet to the left, a stool under the man’s feet, and a small dog standing on three legs while raising the fourth leg towards them, perhaps to convey curiosity or involvement. The attention to detail in the textures of the characters’ clothing and the environment around them enhances the humorous and affectionate nature of the scene.
