Girl with the Cat

During the period that I was doing copies in oils I came across this charming picture in the Louvre.  It was done by Louis Léopold Boilly (1761-1845) and depicts Gabrielle Arnault as a child. 

It was a very difficult painting for me and I found myself working with brushes with very few hairs in them just to adjust the color on the cheeks so that the child had that "baby" look.  I learned then  that I am an artist who prefers the large gesture. ...not tiny detail work.   The piece hung in my mother's house in Oregon until she died and now I have it with me.    I really love the cat and how uncomfortable he looks.  

Here is my copy of Girl with the Cat and the frame I chose.