Portrait of a Lady, 19th Century; Circle of Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873)

Oil on canvas.

This luxurious portrait is essentially about feminine beauty and its close perspective imbues it with an aura of subtle intimacy. The sitter is elegantly dressed in a white and blue satin chiffon dress with a blue ribbon and enveloped in a sumptuous wrap. Finely detailed throughout with the most stunning drapery with its delicate folds and there is a virtuoso in the art of conveying the texture of the fabrics. The artist was also careful to realistically depict how light reflects upon this. The wrap is so well executed it is almost photographic. The face and hair is also very pleasing and evidence of the artist’s skill and finesse. A fine example.

Presented in its original fine quality gilt frame, decorated with leaves and acorns, and ascribed to Winterhalter on a presentation label. Winterhatler was favoured by both Queen Victoria (who commissioned around 120 of his portraits) and also Queen Elizabeth II, The Queen Mother, and it is his flattering and unfailing ability to capture a good likeness that encouraged many to patronise him so frequently.

Measurements: Height 95cm, Width 81cm framed (Height 37.5”, Width 32” framed)

Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873) was a German portrait painter who rose to fame through the patronage of King Louis Philippe. He was one of the most sought-after portrait painters at the time. As a French court painter, he painted portraits of the entire royal family and leading members of the court. The success of these images earned him the reputation of a specialist in dynastic portraiture for both royalty and nobility who was skilled in combining likeness with flattery and enlivening official pomp with modern fashion. As the "Painter of Princes" he was thereafter in constant demand by the courts of Britain (from 1841), Spain, Belgium, Russia, the Germanies, and France after the accession of Napoleon III. To handle this demand, many calling for multiple replicas, he made extensive use of assistants. In 1841 alone, his sitters included the king and queen of Belgium; King Louis-Philippe of France; and Queen Maria Cristina of Spain. The following year, he added Marie-Amélie, queen of France, and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of England to his roster of royal models. Winterhalter's portraits were prized for their subtle intimacy, but his popularity among patrons came from his ability to create the image his sitters wished or needed to project to their subjects. He was able to capture the moral and political climate of each court, adapting his style to each client as though his work acted as a press release, issued by a master of public relations.

Work by Winterhalter is extremely sought after and achieves large sums at auctions. Queen Olga of Wurttemberg, Grand Duchess of Russia sold for $1,756,550 at Christies London in 2006. Whereas a follower of Winterhalter portrait sold for $34,007 in 2014 at im Kinsky Kunst Auktionen, Vienna. A very similar portrait as the present example (Portrait of Mrs Vanderbyl) sold for $348,902 in 2014 at Christies London.

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