Sometimes the best stories begin with getting caught in the rain. 🌧️
In "The Storm," artist Pierre-Auguste Cot captures a young couple caught in a sudden autumn downpour, racing for shelter while using the heroine's overskirt as an impromptu umbrella.
When Cot exhibited this painting at the Salon of 1880, critics speculated about the source of the subject. Some proposed the painting was inspired by the popular French novel "Paul et Virginie," which tells the story of two childhood friends who fall in love. In one memorable scene, the young couple shelters from a sudden rainstorm beneath a shared piece of fabric, closely echoing Cot's composition.
☔️ Stay dry this week and take a cue from "The Storm." Spend a rainy day at The Met, explore the galleries, and who knows—you might just find your own love story along the way!
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🎨 Pierre-Auguste Cot (French, Bédarieux 1837–1883 Paris), "The Storm," 1880. Oil on canvas.