A portrait of Lucie Cousturier by Maximilien Luce, rendered in the artist's signature Neo-Impressionist style. The painting features small, distinct strokes of colour, creating a shimmering surface of light.

Maximilien Luce's portrait of Lucie Cousturier captures the sitter in a full-length pose, set within an interior space rendered in the artist's signature Neo-Impressionist style. Cousturier, an artist and writer herself, is depicted in a dark, elegant dress with a large hat, holding a parasol. The background features a patterned sofa and framed pictures, all composed of small, distinct strokes of colour that define the Neo-Impressionist technique. The overall effect is a shimmering surface of light and colour, where the figure and the environment blend together harmoniously. Luce was a prominent figure within the Neo-Impressionist movement, which sought to apply scientific principles of colour theory to painting. This approach, pioneered by Georges Seurat, involved using small dots of pure colour that would blend optically in the viewer's eye. Luce adapted this technique to his own style, often using it to depict scenes of modern life and portraits of contemporaries. His work often reflects his anarchist political beliefs, portraying working-class subjects and social themes. This portrait of Lucie Cousturier, while seemingly a straightforward depiction, also reflects the artistic and intellectual circles in which Luce moved, capturing the spirit of the era.