La danseuse Élisabeth Giordani

This undated Béraud work on panel differs from his typical canvas support and suggests either a smaller-scale study, a work intended for private collection, or a direct on-site sketch. Panel supports throughout his career appear in his more intimate, quickly executed works — a complement to the larger, more formally composed canvases he submitted to the Salon and major exhibitions. The compact format of panel work suited Béraud's observational practice: moving through the city's streets and parks, he could work quickly on a small, firm support to capture a specific social moment before it dissolved.

Oil on panel allows the smooth, firm working surface that supports Béraud's precise figure drawing even at small scale. The panel's slight luminosity under thin paint layers can enhance the rendering of outdoor light, and its portability made it practical for direct observation in the city's public spaces. Panel works often show slightly looser handling than his finished canvas compositions.