⸻ ?️ Description of the artwork This pencil drawing, signed J. Wély around 1900, depicts a scene from everyday life, likely in a Parisian café or restaurant. Two characters are featured: • On the left, a well-dressed man sitting appears to be deep in thought, holding his beard in a concentrated gesture. • On the right, a waiter, dressed in a dark vest and a white apron, leans slightly toward the customer in an attentive service posture, perhaps to take an order. The line is fluid, precise, and expressive — typical of Jacques Wély's style, blending elegance of gesture with keen observation. It finely captures the postures, expressions, and implicit social tensions. ⸻ ? Jacques Wély – Brief biography Jacques Wély was a French illustrator, caricaturist, and draftsman active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was noted for his regular contributions to satirical and illustrated press, particularly in newspapers such as Le Rire, L’Assiette au Beurre, and Le Figaro illustré. Wély was especially known for his humorous genre scenes, often focused on the Parisian bourgeoisie, socialites, artists, and workers. His lively and expressive line, combined with a sharp observation of character and attitude, made him a graphic chronicler of his time, in the tradition of artists like Jean-Louis Forain or Charles Léandre. Jacques Wély passed away in 1910, leaving behind a subtle and vibrant body of work, a valuable witness to French society during the Belle Époque. Type: Drawing Material: Pencil Genre: Art Deco Theme: Character