Circa 1780 Oval Pastel Portrait Elegant Aristocrat

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We are delighted to offer for sale this beautifully drawn large oval Pastel Portrait of an aristocratic lady by an unknown artist of the English School. The bust length portrait depicts a very attractive and elegant lady, with her hair in the 'pouf' style of the period between 1780 and 1789 in England, where the powdered hair is built up to a very unnatural height with the hair at the back over one shoulder in a loose ringlet. She has a very long string of beads, possibly pearls, entwined through her hair and over her shoulders. She is displaying the very pale complexion that was the fashion, with rounge to the cheeks and possibly darkening to the eyebrows.

She is wearing a gold coloured patterned low cut gown, with a white frill around the neckline and a gold shawl with a heavy bronze fringe around her shoulders. There are heavy draperies to one side of her and she appears to be on a balcony with a landscape to her right.

The pouf or pouffe also "toque" (literally a thick cushion) is a hairstyle and a hairstyling support deriving from 18th-century France. It was made popular by the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette (1755–1793), when she wore it in June 1775 at the coronation of her husband Louis XVI, triggering a wave of French noblewomen to wear their hair in the same manner. The hairstyle would become popular across Europe in the 1780s

The pouf became popular throughout Europe during the same era, with Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, the most notably famous for her hair in England. Queen Charlotte of Great Britain would also fashion her hair into the pouf. As the 1780s progressed the style in which the pouf was worn evolved to become somewhat more conservative. From 1789, upon the outbreak of the French Revolution, the pouf became more of a political weapon for women who supported the revolution in turning against their former Queen's most popular fashion statement.

The portrait has a new gilt mount and is newly framed in a 3 1/2 inch ornate gilt frame. It will be supplied with new brass hangers, new brass picture wire and will be ready to hang.

Image size: 23 1/4 x 19 1/2 inches - 59cm x 49.5cm

Frame size: 33 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches - 85cm x 74.8cm

Medium: Pastels on paper laid to board

Condition: Very good. There is no apparent damage. The mount and frame are new.

Price

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 The price has been listed in British Pounds.
Conversion rates as of 2/JAN/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer.  Sold. Sold prices are confidential, so please don't ask.

 

Category Antique Pictures / Engravings / Art Date 1780  Late 18th Century Antiques Material Paper Origin English Item code as237a2338 Status Sold

SellerStudio RT Ltd

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Item Circa 1780 Oval Pastel Portrait Elegant Aristocrat

 

Item Code as237a2338

 

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