This charming early 19th-century oil painting by an artist influenced by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873) depicts a lady wearing a pink dress with gigot sleeves and a crucifix. She’s holding a glove.

Attired in exquisite fineries, this is evidently a lady of considerable means. Her dress, tailored to perfection, aligns with the fashions of the 1830s, when sleeves became puffy to the point of distraction. While her hair, with its elegant coils and tortoiseshell comb, is elevated and offset by a headband with a golden clasp. Beyond, a landscape setting suggests that she’s the resident of a country estate.

In many ways, this painting reminds us of the oeuvre of Queen Victoria’s favourite portraitist, Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873), particularly his depiction of Sophie of Sweden (1801-1865), the Grand Duchess of Baden. In 1831, he portrayed her wearing similar attire, which probably influenced the artist responsible for our piece. It’s also plausible that the sitter herself was aware of Winterhalter’s portrait and requested that she be painted in a similar way. 

Sophia, of Swedish descent, was married to Prince Leopold of Baden, and it’s likely that our sitter is German. Hence, the connection. Celebrity culture is not a 21st-century phenomenon, as during the 19th century, current trends were often derived from notable figures. A fascinating piece.

Held in a period gilt frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 28” x 33” / 71cm x 84cm
Year of creation: c. 1832
Provenance: Private collection, Scotland.
Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Craquelure in areas. The paint layer is stable. Frame with various marks and showing its age.
Our reference: BRV2191