The Billet Doux
1867
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1867
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows a woman in a dark room reading a letter. Her face glows in soft light. A small dog sleeps at her feet. De Groot copied old Dutch genre scenes but added a quiet modern twist. He painted this before 1867, when Impressionism was just starting. Look for his work next to paintings by Jozef Israëls at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
