Offered by Galerie Gilles Linossier
This Portrait of a Lady produced by Nicolas de Largillière, renowned artist of the Grand Siècle (1656-1746), is a work of remarkable elegance which perfectly illustrates the art of French portraiture at the turn of the 18th century.
This oil on canvas, dated 1714 according to an inscription on the back, reveals all the refinement of the period through its meticulous treatment of textures and its sense of detail.
Largillière, great master of high society portraits, demonstrates here his mastery of light and color nuances.
The lady's face, captivatingly soft, is distinguished by a delicate modeling that evokes diaphanous skin and an expression that is both calm and noble.
The red of her lips makes us pay particular attention to the choice of contrast used by Largillierre.
This one directs our gaze from the red brooch linking the two sides of the drape on the dress, to the delicate barrette to the jewel in her hair, passing by those sparkling red lips.
Her powdered hair, adorned with subtle jewelry, reflects the codes of beauty comparable to other paintings by Largillierre. This small pearly pearl in a drop of water on the right side of her headdress is a usual representation of the artist. We see in it all his mastery for his ability to distinguish in painting, the differences in materials.
Although it is the same color as the hair, this pearl perfectly defines the mother-of-pearl in opposition to her unmistakably powdered hair.
Comparing this portrait to those of his contemporaries, we see that Largillière pays more attention to the liveliness of the gaze and the psychological intimacy of the subjects; his work with materials is as spectacular as the power of his faces.
The richness of the draping, typical of his style, constitutes another strong point of this work.
The painter plays with sumptuous fabrics with complex folds, positioned on a blue dress with a border enhanced with golden embroidery and finely crafted lace. Using this technique, he creates a striking contrast between silky highlights and deep shadows. The color palette, dominated by shades of red-orange, pale green and pearly white-gold, gives the whole a visual harmony which enhances the composition.
This portrait, both majestic and intimate, is a perfect demonstration of the talent of Nicolas de Largillière, whose ability to capture the personality and rank of his subjects makes him an essential master of European aristocratic portraiture.
A work where grace, splendor and technical mastery come together, testifying to a time when the art of portraiture reached its peak.
We see in his various portraits all the talent in drapery work for which he is recognized;
So much in his Portrait of the Comtesse de Montchal (1715-1793), sold by Sotheby's of New York in 2007 for 138,420 euros
or in his Portrait of a Woman, Half-length sold for 529,200 euros at Christie's in 2024,
We relate the importance of shadows and lights in the contrast of the silks, creating in the shawl as much as the dress a sublime movement and a silky material, all imbued with a green-gold and a red contrasting the paleness of the skin; characteristic features of Largillierre's paintings, of which ours is no exception.
In the background, almost imperceptible, we can observe another point very typical of the paintings of this great master.
We actually see, in our painting, a background of trees in green-brown hues standing out against a bluish sky, or almost black to the naked eye, which we find in many of his compositions, such as the Presumed Portrait of Countess Elisabeth de Saint-Périer (1701-1777) sold in 2021 by Sotheby's in Paris for 50,400 euros.
Or in Portrait of a Lady of Quality with Blue Drapery, sold by Piasa in 2002, in Paris, for 55,000 euros.
This ability to define a background that is so barely imperceptible but which allows the character to be positioned in space is a particularity of which Largillierre is very imbued.
Whether in his Portrait of a Lady (1713) sold for 58,750 euros in 2004 in Paris by Christie's,
or in his aristocratic portraits as in the Half-length Portrait of a Woman, known as 'portrait of the Countess of Courcelles' sold for 88,200 euros in 2022 by Christie's in Paris
and in all the others, noble or not, we see all the delicacy of the face and this play of psychological personality which Largillierre gives us to admire.
Thus, these two portraits with a gentle and smiling face, one in warm tones, the other in cold tones, show all the skill of psychological representation demonstrated by this artist.
Other portraits have a more mischievous appearance,
This is the case in his portrait of Brigitte Ansart wearing a blue dress, sold as a pair with Joachim Delelée in a brown coat for around 77,000 euros in 1992 by Christie's in London.
Also in The Portrait of a Woman in Urania, three-quarter view, near a celestial globe, estimated at 60,000-100,000 euros in 2024 by Christie's in Paris
???????Dimensions with frame: H: 101 cm x W 82.5 cm
