Le retour a la vertu

About this work

This scene shows a man and woman in a fancy bedroom. The man, dressed in a bright red coat and white pants, leans over a woman in a blue and white gown who sits on a chair. Heavy blue curtains frame a doorway in the background, and small statues and flowers decorate the room’s edges. The title at the bottom, *Le retour à la vertu*, hints this might be about a moral lesson—maybe about coming back to good behavior. The mix of rich fabrics and delicate details suggests it’s meant to look grand. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists like Longueil created these sharp, layered prints.