Portrait of Alfred Stevens

The 100 Most Famous Alfred Stevens Paintings, Each One of a Kind

Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 172 works by Alfred Stevens in our catalogue

In short

Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada is the Alfred Stevens painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. After it, the eye goes to At the Railway Station (1874) and woman in roses, standing on a terrace (1882). Among the 172 works of Alfred Stevens in our catalog, these 100 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.

1823 – 1906, Brussels Academicism Most works: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada by Alfred Stevens1. Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada At the Railway Station (1874) by Alfred Stevens2. At the Railway Station 1874 woman in roses, standing on a terrace (1882) by Alfred Stevens3. woman in roses, standing on a terrace 1882

Top 10 paintings by Alfred Stevens, through the gallery's eye

1
Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada by Alfred Stevens

Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada

Oil On Canvas · Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The composition is vertically oriented, centering a single female figure against a busy, layered background. This central subject is positioned in front of a scene that appears to be a stage backdrop. She holds a sword and a piece of draped fabric. A striking red cloth is held within her hands, providing a sharp contrast to the surrounding tones. The background contains several other figures, multiple people, and the silhouettes…

The story behind this original
2
At the Railway Station (1874) by Alfred Stevens

At the Railway Station

1874 · Oil · Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

A Moment of Quietude The scene unfolds with a profound sense of stillness, capturing a solitary woman caught in a moment of waiting at a railway station. She sits centered within the frame, her presence anchored by the heavy, dark tones of her nineteenth-century attire. A small, white fluffy dog rests in her lap, its bright fur providing a singular point of light against the deep reds and blacks of…

Look closer at this work
3
woman in roses, standing on a terrace (1882) by Alfred Stevens

woman in roses, standing on a terrace

1882 · Oil · Musée d'Orsay, Paris

The scene unfolds in "woman in roses, standing on a terrace," a work that captures a quiet moment of poise and grace. This painting is the creation of Alfred Stevens, an artist whose life and vision were deeply rooted in his origins. Born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1823, Stevens brings a specific sense of elegance to the canvas, one that feels as though it is breathing even now. He moves…

About this original
4
Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering) (1900) by Alfred Stevens

Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering)

1900 · Oil On Canvas · Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

The painting titled Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering) is an oil work by the artist Alfred Stevens. Created about 1900, this portrait depicts a woman positioned within an interior setting. The subject is seated upon a large red couch that occupies a significant portion of the background. She is dressed in a pink garment and maintains a smile while her hands rest folded in her lap.

About this original
5
The breakup letter (1867) by Alfred Stevens

The breakup letter

1867 · Oil On Canvas · Musée d'Orsay, Paris

In this 1867 oil painting, we find ourselves in a private, shadowed interior, drawn into the immediate presence of a solitary woman. She is positioned slightly off-center, a choice that lends a certain psychological weight to her stillness. The light, appearing to emanate from an unseen source to the left, brushes against the pale lavender and creamy white of her gown, while the rest of the room recedes into deep…

The story behind this original
7
Moonlit seascape (1892) by Alfred Stevens

Moonlit seascape

1892 · Oil On Canvas

The night air feels heavy and salt-laden as we encounter Moonlit seascape, a work that captures a quiet moment upon the water. Created in 1892, this oil on canvas presents a scene where the ocean meets a dark, cloud-streaked sky. The Belgian artist Alfred Stevens brings the nocturnal atmosphere to life through his careful application of paint, allowing the moonlight to interact with the surface of the sea. Every brushstroke…

About this original

Alfred Stevens's famous paintings, numbers 11 to 100

11Portrait of a Man (1839) by Alfred StevensPortrait of a Man1839 12The Hon. and Rev. Samuel Best (1840) by Alfred StevensThe Hon. and Rev. Samuel Best1840 13King Alfred and his Mother (1848) by Alfred StevensKing Alfred and his Mother1848 14Judith (1848) by Alfred StevensJudith1848 15An Artist in his Studio (1841) by Alfred StevensAn Artist in his Studio1841 16John Morris Moore (1840) by Alfred StevensJohn Morris Moore1840 17Girl looking in a mirror (1848) by Alfred StevensGirl looking in a mirror1848 · Van Gogh Museum 18The First Day of Devotion (Interior of a Pawnbroker's Shop) (1854) by Alfred StevensThe First Day of Devotion (Interior of a Pawnbroker's Shop)1854 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art 19Mrs Elizabeth Young Mitchell and her Baby (1851) by Alfred StevensMrs Elizabeth Young Mitchell and her Baby1851 20Mary Ann, Wife of Leonard Collman (1854) by Alfred StevensMary Ann, Wife of Leonard Collman1854 21Reverie (1854) by Alfred StevensReverie1854 22The Angel Announcing the Birth of Our Lord to the Shepherds (1860) by Alfred StevensThe Angel Announcing the Birth of Our Lord to the Shepherds1860 23In Memoriam (1861) by Alfred StevensIn Memoriam1861 · Museum of Fine Arts 24The Painter's Studio (1869) by Alfred StevensThe Painter's Studio1869 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium 25Young Woman Holding a Book (1870) by Alfred StevensYoung Woman Holding a Book1870 · Carnavalet Museum 26Portrait of a Young Woman (1868) by Alfred StevensPortrait of a Young Woman1868 · National Gallery of Ireland 27Curious (1870) by Alfred StevensCurious1870 · Nationalmuseum 28The Visit (1870) by Alfred StevensThe Visit1870 29Woman in White (1872) by Alfred StevensWoman in White1872 30Summer (1877) by Alfred StevensSummer1877 31Spring (1877) by Alfred StevensSpring1877 32Winter (1877) by Alfred StevensWinter1877 33Memories and Regrets (1874) by Alfred StevensMemories and Regrets1874 34In the Boudoir (1880) by Alfred StevensIn the Boudoir1880 · Bavarian State Painting Collections 35Young Woman (1880) by Alfred StevensYoung Woman1880 · Musée des Beaux-Arts 36The Attentive Listener (1879) by Alfred StevensThe Attentive Listener1879 · Museum of Fine Arts 37The Parisian Sphinx (1880) by Alfred StevensThe Parisian Sphinx1880 38President Sadi Carnot Surrounded by Personalities of the IIIème République, in front of the Opéra (1889) by Alfred StevensPresident Sadi Carnot Surrounded by Personalities of the IIIème République, in front of the Opéra1889 · Carnavalet Museum 39Ophelia (1887) by Alfred StevensOphelia1887 40Young Woman by the Sea (1886) by Alfred StevensYoung Woman by the Sea1886 41Courage and Cowardice (1858) by Alfred StevensCourage and Cowardice1858 · Victoria and Albert Museum 42The Painter and His Model by Alfred StevensThe Painter and His Model 43The Japanese Robe (1872) by Alfred StevensThe Japanese Robe1872 · Metropolitan Museum of Art 44L_Inde A Paris Le Bibelot Exotique by Alfred StevensL_Inde A Paris Le Bibelot Exotique 45Hesitation by Alfred StevensHesitationArt Institute of Chicago 46The Desperate Woman by Alfred StevensThe Desperate Woman 47Rock Arch at the Stormy Sea (near Etretat) (1848) by Alfred StevensRock Arch at the Stormy Sea (near Etretat)1848 48Portrait of a Young Woman (1870) by Alfred StevensPortrait of a Young Woman1870 49Mademoiselle de Clermont-Tonnerre (1865) by Alfred StevensMademoiselle de Clermont-Tonnerre1865 50L'étude du rôle (1888) by Alfred StevensL'étude du rôle1888 51Woman in a Black Dress by Alfred StevensWoman in a Black DressNational Gallery of Ireland 52Mother and Child in an Interior by Alfred StevensMother and Child in an InteriorRhode Island School of Design Museum of Art 53La Liseuse by Alfred StevensLa LiseuseFitzwilliam Museum 54Elegant Figures in a Salon by Alfred StevensElegant Figures in a SalonMuseum of Fine Arts 55Standing Figure of a Woman by Alfred StevensStanding Figure of a WomanRoyal Collection 56Artist in her studio by Alfred StevensArtist in her studioMuseum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK) 57Begging Tolerated by Alfred StevensBegging ToleratedRoyal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp 58Young Woman Resting in a Music Room by Alfred StevensYoung Woman Resting in a Music RoomMuseum of Fine Arts 59La dame à l'éventail by Alfred StevensLa dame à l'éventail 60Route du Cap Martin à Menton by Alfred StevensRoute du Cap Martin à Menton 61The Love Letter by Alfred StevensThe Love Letter 62A Young Girl Seated by a Tree by Alfred StevensA Young Girl Seated by a Tree 63De weduwe, Alfred Stevens, 1850 - 1906 (1906) by Alfred StevensDe weduwe, Alfred Stevens, 1850 - 19061906 · Rijksmuseum 64Woman Wearing a Bracelet by Alfred StevensWoman Wearing a Bracelet 65Absolution by Alfred StevensAbsolution 66In the Garden by Alfred StevensIn the Garden 67Lovelorn by Alfred StevensLovelorn 68Le Bouquet by Alfred StevensLe Bouquet 69Young Woman in White Holding a Bouquet by Alfred StevensYoung Woman in White Holding a BouquetNational Gallery of Art 70Reverie 1 by Alfred StevensReverie 1 71Pleasant Letter (1860) by Alfred StevensPleasant Letter1860 · Hermitage Museum 72Woman in a Straw Hat by Alfred StevensWoman in a Straw Hat 73Autumn Flowers (1867) by Alfred StevensAutumn Flowers1867 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium 74The atelier by Alfred StevensThe atelierMetropolitan Museum of Art 75Interior of a Studio by Alfred StevensInterior of a StudioCarnegie Museum of Art 76standing lady (dressed in black) by Alfred Stevensstanding lady (dressed in black) 77Seascape by Alfred StevensSeascapeHarvard Art Museums 78Menton, almost at night, 2nd impression by Alfred StevensMenton, almost at night, 2nd impression 79Study of a Man by Alfred StevensStudy of a Man 80Study of a Model by Alfred StevensStudy of a ModelNational Gallery of Art 81Prête à sortir by Alfred StevensPrête à sortir 82Le panorama du siècle 1 by Alfred StevensLe panorama du siècle 1 83Portrait d'un enfant by Alfred StevensPortrait d'un enfant 84Ophélia. Le bouquet effeuillé. by Alfred StevensOphélia. Le bouquet effeuillé. 85Tête d'homme by Alfred StevensTête d'homme 86The Corner of the Balcony by Alfred StevensThe Corner of the Balcony 87Study of a Model by Alfred StevensStudy of a Model 88Le panorama du siècle by Alfred StevensLe panorama du siècle 89La dame en rose by Alfred StevensLa dame en rose 90Regatta Day at Menton by Alfred StevensRegatta Day at Menton 91Coming home from the fancy ball by Alfred StevensComing home from the fancy ball 92Le panorama du siècle 2 by Alfred StevensLe panorama du siècle 2 93Salomé by Alfred StevensSaloméRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium 94Dame au chien by Alfred StevensDame au chien 95Promenade au Bord de la Mer by Alfred StevensPromenade au Bord de la Mer 96La bête à Bon Dieu by Alfred StevensLa bête à Bon Dieu 97Le panorama du siècle 3 by Alfred StevensLe panorama du siècle 3 98Le musicien malade by Alfred StevensLe musicien malade 99L'atelier d'Alfred de Knyff by Alfred StevensL'atelier d'Alfred de Knyff 100Nude Figure by Alfred StevensNude Figure

Alfred Stevens's famous paintings, period by period

Mature Period

1854 – 1892 · 25 works in this list
Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada, Alfred Stevens #1 Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada Metropolitan Museum of Art At the Railway Station (1874), Alfred Stevens #2 At the Railway Station 1874 · Art Institute of Chicago woman in roses, standing on a terrace (1882), Alfred Stevens #3 woman in roses, standing on a terrace 1882 · Musée d'Orsay The breakup letter (1867), Alfred Stevens #5 The breakup letter 1867 · Musée d'Orsay Moonlit seascape (1892), Alfred Stevens #7 Moonlit seascape 1892

Late Medieval

1870 – 1888 · 4 works in this list
Portrait of a Young Woman (1870), Alfred Stevens #48 Portrait of a Young Woman 1870 L'étude du rôle (1888), Alfred Stevens #50 L'étude du rôle 1888 Study of a Model, Alfred Stevens #80 Study of a Model National Gallery of Art The Corner of the Balcony, Alfred Stevens #86 The Corner of the Balcony

The subjects that held Alfred Stevens's eye

The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.

Woman 16 works

Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada, Alfred Stevens #1 Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada Metropolitan Museum of Art At the Railway Station (1874), Alfred Stevens #2 At the Railway Station 1874 · Art Institute of Chicago woman in roses, standing on a terrace (1882), Alfred Stevens #3 woman in roses, standing on a terrace 1882 · Musée d'Orsay Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering) (1900), Alfred Stevens #4 Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering) 1900 · Nationalmuseum

Women 13 works

The Lady in Pink (1867), Alfred Stevens #6 The Lady in Pink 1867 The Desperate Woman, Alfred Stevens #46 The Desperate Woman Pleasant Letter (1860), Alfred Stevens #71 Pleasant Letter 1860 · Hermitage Museum The atelier, Alfred Stevens #74 The atelier Metropolitan Museum of Art

Portrait 9 works

Reverie (1854), Alfred Stevens #21 Reverie 1854 Portrait of a Young Woman (1870), Alfred Stevens #48 Portrait of a Young Woman 1870 La dame à l'éventail, Alfred Stevens #59 La dame à l'éventail Woman Wearing a Bracelet, Alfred Stevens #64 Woman Wearing a Bracelet

Interior 7 works

The breakup letter (1867), Alfred Stevens #5 The breakup letter 1867 · Musée d'Orsay The Painter and His Model, Alfred Stevens #42 The Painter and His Model Young Woman in White Holding a Bouquet, Alfred Stevens #69 Young Woman in White Holding a Bouquet National Gallery of Art Autumn Flowers (1867), Alfred Stevens #73 Autumn Flowers 1867 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

The museums that keep Alfred Stevens's originals

The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Alfred Stevens Paintings from this list
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMetropolitan Museum of Art New York 4 Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada, The Japanese Robe, The atelier
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, BrusselsRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium Brussels 4 The Painter's Studio, Autumn Flowers, Salomé
Museum of Fine Arts, BostonMuseum of Fine Arts Boston 3 In Memoriam, The Attentive Listener, Young Woman Resting in a Music Room
Musée d'Orsay, ParisMusée d'Orsay Paris 3 woman in roses, standing on a terrace, The breakup letter
Art Institute of Chicago, ChicagoArt Institute of Chicago Chicago 2 At the Railway Station, Hesitation
Nationalmuseum, StockholmNationalmuseum Stockholm 2 Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering), Curious
Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, ProvidenceRhode Island School of Design Museum of Art Providence 2 The First Day of Devotion (Interior of a Pawnbroker's Shop), Mother and Child in an Interior
Carnavalet Museum, ParisCarnavalet Museum Paris 2 Young Woman Holding a Book, President Sadi Carnot Surrounded by Personalities of the IIIème République, in front of the Opéra

Alfred Stevens across the decades: one unique original for each

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.

Alfred Stevens's paintings: questions for the gallery

What is the single most famous work of Alfred Stevens?Reveal the answer

Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. At the Railway Station (1874) and woman in roses, standing on a terrace (1882) come next.

Which ten paintings by Alfred Stevens are the most famous?Reveal the answer

Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada, At the Railway Station, woman in roses, standing on a terrace, Portrait of Mrs. Howe (nee Deering), The breakup letter, The Lady in Pink, Moonlit seascape, Miss Emma Pegler, Samuel Pegler and Self-Portrait at the Age of 14. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.

How many works by Alfred Stevens are known?Reveal the answer

Our catalog holds 172 works by Alfred Stevens, dated from 1832 to 1906.

Where can the most famous Alfred Stevens originals be seen?Reveal the answer

Mostly in Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Brussels) and Museum of Fine Arts (Boston). The museum table above lists them all.

During which period did Alfred Stevens create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer

In 1870s: 12 of the 100 works on this page were made then, At the Railway Station among them.

Which famous Alfred Stevens painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer

On this page, the earliest is Miss Emma Pegler (1832) and the latest De weduwe, Alfred Stevens, 1850 - 1906 (1906).

What subjects did Alfred Stevens favour?Reveal the answer

Woman (16), Women (13) and Portrait (9), across the 100 works on this page.

What materials did Alfred Stevens paint with most?Reveal the answer

Oil On Canvas, for 9 of the 100 works on this page.

Which movement does the work of Alfred Stevens belong to?Reveal the answer

Academicism, judging by the originals on this page.

What Alfred Stevens originals can I see at the Metropolitan Museum of Art?Reveal the answer

Mademoiselle V. . . in the Costume of an Espada, The Japanese Robe and The atelier: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York holds 3 of the works on this page.

Alfred Stevens: a portrait of the artist

early life and training

alfred émile léopold stevens, a renowned belgian painter, was born on may 11, 1823, in brussels. his family was deeply rooted in the visual arts, with his older brother joseph (1816–1892) and son léopold (1866–1935) being painters, while another brother arthur (1825–99) was an art dealer and critic.

artistic career

stevens began his artistic journey at the académie royale des beaux-arts in brussels, where he studied under the guidance of françois navez, a neo-classical painter. in 1843, he moved to paris, joining his brother joseph, and was admitted to the école des beaux-arts. although it is disputed whether he became a student of jean auguste dominique ingres, stevens' early work, such as the pardon or absolution (hermitage, st. petersburg), signed and dated 1849, showcases his mastery of conventional naturalistic style, influenced by 17th-century dutch genre painting.

rise to prominence

stevens' work was first publicly exhibited in 1851 at the brussels salon, earning him a third-class medal at the paris salon in 1853 and a second-class medal at the universal exposition in paris in 1855. his painting ce qu'on appelle le vagabondage (musée d'orsay, paris) caught the attention of napoleon iii, leading to a significant change in the treatment of the poor.

notable works and legacy

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