In After the Ball, Julius LeBlanc Stewart captures the languid aftermath of Parisian opulence in the Belle Époque. A young woman reclines in repose, her golden gown still rich with movement and embellishment, yet her expression is touched by quiet introspection. The extravagant textures of lace and silk spill across the settee, set against a saturated pink backdrop that evokes the theatrical excess of the evening just passed. Stewart’s academic precision and flirtation with Impressionist color reflect both technical mastery and a psychological sensitivity, offering a glimpse into the emotional undercurrent of high society’s spectacle.