This enchanting portrait by German artist, Julius Schoppe (1795-1868) is rendered with a majestic touch and masterly brushwork.

It depicts a lady wearing a black dress atop a delicately embroidered white blouse. Her left arm is raised to draw attention to her exquisite bracelets and she holds a pair of glasses. A fine miniature seems to work as a clasp and her earrings also feature a portrait.

In 1852, Schoppe was in the prime of his career and a professor at the Academy of Arts in Berlin. His refined style of portraiture was based upon his admiration for the old masters, particularly Raphael, and he spent many years studying in Rome. Schoppe could elevate a subject to near-ethereal status - he conveyed a timeless sense of beauty yet also retained their spirit. Note how he’s rendered the skin tones - building up the oils in semi-transparent glazes to breathe life into her expression.

It’s an elegant portrayal by one of the foremost German portraitists of his generation.

Signed/dated on the left and housed within a fine period frame decorated with grapevines.

Learn more about Julius Schoppe in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 34” x 38½” / 86cm x 98cm
Year of creation: 1852
Condition: Artwork presents well. Craquelure but the paint is stable. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction highlight: £4,944 achieved for an oil painting in 2020.