Marguerite Gérard was among the most accomplished artists of her time, celebrated for her intimate depictions of domestic life and her nuanced exploration of women’s roles during a period of profound transformation in France. Influenced by 17th-century Dutch genre painters such as Gabriel Metsu, her work is distinguished by its refined detail, subtle storytelling, and delicately blended brushwork. In I Was Thinking of You, these qualities are brought into dialogue with the fluidity and expressive brilliance of Fragonard.

Executed à quatre mains, the painting is a rare and compelling example of the artistic collaboration between Fragonard and his sister-in-law Gérard, who lived and worked within his studio. Their combined hands produce a work of remarkable harmony, uniting Fragonard’s spirited handling with Gérard’s precision and sensitivity to create a composition of great elegance and intimacy.