Portrait Of A Lady, French school of the early 18th century

Circle of Nicolas de Largilliére, portrait of a lady in scarlet, in its original gilded oak frame, Louis XIV period, early 18th century.

A masterpiece of Baroque composition, this large formal portrait vividly illustrates the “Parisian chic” of the early 18th century. We find ourselves at a historic crossroads in a society undergoing tumultuous redefinition, where Baroque opulence gives way to the powerfully self-assertive grace of the nascent Rococo. Nicolas de Largilliere was the quintessential interpreter of that emerging social elite which, then as now, required impeccable visual presentation. With a stroke of genius, he established himself as the portraitist of choice for the wealthy bourgeoisie and the Parisian legal nobility—essentially those who held economic and legal power and who demanded a visual representation of their status without the rigidity of royal etiquette. All of this resulted in one of the most important and prolific painting workshops in France at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries; numerous painters gravitated toward him, creating replicas of his paintings for his wealthy clientele.

This portrait embodies all the hallmarks of Largilliere’s studio. The artist displays his full mastery in rendering the different textures of the materials: the flamboyant drapery of the red silk gown contrasts with the delicacy of the lace and the luminosity of the complexion. The lady is portrayed in a dynamic and noble pose, capturing the opulence and elegance of the high society of the time; she wears a sumptuous gown of silvery-white silk or satin, embellished with necklines of the finest lace and golden geometric embroidery along the bodice. Draped over her shoulders is a sumptuous vermilion-red cloak lined with gold fabric. The richness of the folds and the sheen of the materials underscore the young woman’s high social rank and elegance. Her dark hair is gathered into an elaborate updo, typical of late 17th- and early 18th-century fashion (the “fontange” style), adorned with red ribbons and a jeweled hairpin. Her face embodies the beauty ideals of the Baroque and late Baroque periods: very fair skin (porcelain complexion), slightly flushed cheeks, thin lips outlined in dark lipstick, and thin, arched eyebrows.

An ideal piece for collectors of portraits from the “Grand Siècle” and the Regency period.

In its splendid original frame made of carved and gilded oak.

Dimensions
canvas: 72 x 58 cm
frame: 90 x 76 cm