19TH CENTURY PASTEL PORTRAIT PAINTING - REF No. 2024

Product Details

H: 38 1/2 in / 98 cm ; W: 33 3/4 in / 86 cm

A fine and attractive 19th century pastel painting of young woman. 

A refined executed pastel portrait depicting a young lady shown half-length, seated before a softly rendered landscape backdrop. The sitter is portrayed with delicately curled light brown hair framing her face, her expression composed and serene. She wears a white Empire-line gown with a pale blue ribbon trim and a soft white shawl draped about her shoulders, complemented by a rich russet cloak that provides a warm tonal contrast.

The artist demonstrates considerable skill in the handling of pastel, achieving subtle transitions in flesh tones and a gentle luminosity to the complexion. The background is treated in a loose, atmospheric manner, with autumnal foliage and sky rendered in blended hues of soft blues, greens and browns, enhancing the romantic character of the composition. The overall effect recalls the influence of late 19th-century academic and society portraiture, with an evident sensitivity to light and texture.

Presented in an elaborate giltwood frame of Rococo revival design, boldly carved with scrolling acanthus, shell motifs and floral ornament, which complements the elegance of the portrait.

Circa 1880

French