Early 19th - Chromo Print - Father and Daughter Musical Scene with Harp - Sentimental French Engraving - Romantic Period Collectible

This early 19th-century chromo print, titled 'LA SONATE.' (The Sonata.), captures a touching domestic scene from the Romantic era. The artwork depicts a man, presumably a father, standing at the threshold of a room, extending his hands towards a young woman, likely his daughter, who is seated and playing a large classical harp. Her hands are poised over the strings, suggesting she is about to play or has just finished a melody. The man wears striped trousers and a jacket, while the woman is dressed in a simple, elegant gown characteristic of the period, adorned with a ruffled collar.

The emotional depth of the scene is amplified by the French caption inscribed below the image: 'ô ma Blanche!....on ne peut plus se plaindre du sort, quand on a le bonheur d'être ton père.' This translates to: 'Oh my Blanche!....one can no longer complain about fate, when one has the happiness of being your father.' This heartfelt sentiment emphasizes the joy and contentment the father finds in his daughter, highlighting themes of familial love, music, and the simple pleasures of domestic life. The detailed rendering, with subtle coloring, brings to life an intimate moment of familial connection centered around musical expression, a popular pastime in homes of the era. The print serves as a beautiful historical record of social customs and artistic preferences of the time.

This engraving was designed by Charles Abraham Chasselat (1782–1843), a talented French painter and illustrator active during the early 19th century. It was engraved by one or more anonymous engravers working in Paris and published around 1815–1820, during the late Empire or early Restoration period. Prints of this type typically appeared in refined illustrated books such as Scènes de la vie domestique, Scènes intéressantes de la vie privée, or Contes moraux illustrés — popular collections that combined moral storytelling with delicate visual interpretation. These works reflected the sentimental and didactic spirit of the time, portraying scenes of virtue, affection, and everyday emotion within elegant bourgeois or domestic settings.