This amusing image is from a 1901 painting by the American painter Julius LeBlanc Stewart, whose work was primarily concentrated in Paris. For this reason, the painter was nicknamed "the Parisian from Philadelphia."
The protagonists of the painting are the Goldschmidt sisters, Élena and Isabelle, daughters of the wealthy banker Isaac ("John") Goldschmidt. They are depicted with their little dog, speeding through the Bois de Boulogne in a delightful Peugeot Type 3, a real gem that was worth 5,000 francs at the time. Unlike previous models, the Type 3—produced between 1891 and 1894—was a huge success. It even had the option to be ordered with optional accessories, including a set of suitcases to be placed on the front of the car and a canopy cover made of rainproof fabric, which, however, is missing from the Goldschmidt sisters' vehicle.
The painting is now housed at the Musée de la Voiture in Compiègne.
