The painting depicts the artist's half-sister, Louis Quivoron, who often modelled for Marie Bracquemond. Louise is seated in a garden at Sèvres holding a book, next to her in the round table is le goûter(afternoon tea). At first glance, the painting seems to portray a woman dressed in white, enjoying her leisure time. Her gaze is lowered but she is not actively reading it at the moment, she appears lost in her thought. There is a set of dinnerware with unmatched pieces; the porcelain tea cup-and-saucer with blue pattern is not identical to the ceramic white milk jug, indicating a very informal occasion. The garden setting shows a central concern of Impressionism, where changing light and atmosphere become as important as the subject itself. Bracquemond uses color and brushwork to convey the sensation of an afternoon in the garden. Despite being a skilled artist, Bracquemond is often overlooked and sidelined from the canon of western art. However, her few masterpieces are publicly displayed and stand as a proof of her underrated talent.
The painting Le Gouter presents painted by Marie Braquemond shows a woman reading outdoors at a table set with tea and grapes. The painting combines an intimate domestic moment with a bright impressionist atmosphere, suggesting quiet lesisure, self possesion and modern femeninity. The paintings soft light and loose brushwork make the scene appear immediate and natural, while the open book adds a sense of thought and inwardness.
