In the letter to Bazille, Renoir writes about his desperation for money: "I exhibited [the portraits of] Lise and Sisley at Carpentier's.

"[3][4] Although Lise was Renoir's lover at the time of the painting, he had her pose with Sisley, who was also involved with another woman, Eugénie Lescouézec.

Art historian Michael F. Zimmermann writes that "the result was the modern image of an engaged couple, as well as a genre portrait enlarged to life size.

The painter presents the gentleman's caressing affection and the lady's grateful intimacy from the perspective of a close friend, who recognizes these gestures as habitual but none the less touching.

[9] Inspired by A Couple (Les Fiancés), Picasso produced three pencil studies (Le Ménage Sisley) based on the work.