Una Domenica sul Fiume

This painting by Firmin-Girard, titled "Le dimanche au Bas-Meudon," depicts a lively Sunday lunch at La Pêche Miraculeuse, one of the trendiest restaurants during the Belle Époque. Here, artists and bohemians loved to meet and spend their leisure time away from the Parisian chaos, amidst picturesque landscapes, appetizing fish fries, and glasses of excellent Muscadet.

It seems that the author included in the scene some portraits of contemporary painters and personal friends, including Paul Vayson, Prosper Galerne, and Paul Sain. His own parents can also be seen, sitting at a table with their grandchildren: Firmin-Girard’s daughter, dressed in white, bends down to pet a cat looking for treats.

The other children in the center of the scene are having fun listening to the "one-man band," a hurdy-gurdy player wearing accompanying instruments: drums, cymbals, bells on a golden headpiece, and a Pan flute tied under his chin. A little girl, possibly the musician’s daughter, gracefully walks among the diners, collecting tips with a shell.

The painting was auctioned by Sotheby's in 2017 and is now in a private collection.