The intercepted love letter (painted around 1860) is one of the most famous works by the Munich painter Carl Spitzweg.

The painting depicts a student, identifiable by his cap, the Cerevis, who is lowering a sealed love letter on a string to the open window of the apartment below his student room. In the lower window, a young woman is so engrossed in her needlework that she does not notice the letter at all. However, another woman, presumably her aunt or governess, sees the letter and stands there with her mouth agape in astonishment.

The sand-colored facade is richly structured, and slanted shadows indicate that the scene takes place in a city with narrow alleys. Additionally, Spitzweg has included small still lifes in the painting.

Warning: Not suitable for children under 36 months.