Siesta (Jeanne Sleeping in a Mediterranean Garden) Ceramic Tile

This design features a painting by the French artist Henri Manguin (1874–1949), who was associated with the Fauvist art movement. It depicts the artist's wife Jeanne, who served as a frequent model for his paintings. She is reclined on wooden chair under the shade of tree in a Mediterranean garden. In the distance can be seen the houses of a seaside village, beside the water. The woman is relaxed in her posture and she appears at peace as she sleeps; she is facing towards the viewer. Her eyes are closed and her legs are crossed. She is taking a rest from the midday sun, enjoying a typical European siesta. The setting around her is flooded with Mediterranean light; the location is southern France. Jeanne can be seen as a symbol of repose, femininity and the pleasures of a leisurely home life. The painting offers a meditation on comfort and ease; it celebrates the simple joys of ordinary life. The original artwork was painted in the same year as the 1905 Salon d’Automne, where Fauvism first erupted into public consciousness.