Portrait of a Woman with an Oriental-Style Headdress, circa 1790-1805

Portrait of a Woman with an Oriental-Style Headdress, circa 1790-1805

Period: Circa 1790-1805
Technique: Oil on canvas applied to cardboard (removable)
Dimensions:
With frame: H 36 cm x W 30 cm
Canvas (unmounted): H 22 cm x W 17 cm I
nner oval: H 20 cm x W 15 cm

some old restorations and abrasions. 

Gilded frame from the early 20th century with an inner beaded border and painted black passe-partout.

Provenance: Label of the Parisian framer E. Adolphi, 3 Rue St Ferdinand, Paris.

The painting depicts a woman dressed in the Neoclassical fashion popular between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She wears a flowing white gown with long fitted sleeves and a neckline adorned with a pearl necklace.

Her headdress, of Oriental inspiration, is a small dark green velvet cap, embellished with a light fabric bow and a gold jewel shaped like a feather. These elements reflect the influence of exoticism on French fashion during the Directoire and early Empire periods.

Her long, curly hair frames her face and cascades over her shoulders, following the stylistic preferences of the time, which favored an aesthetic inspired by Greco-Roman antiquity and the Orient.

Her face is delicately rendered, with slightly flushed cheeks and a direct gaze. The painting, characterized by softened contours and a gentle play of light, follows the portraiture tradition that emphasized the elegance and refinement of the subject. The dark background subtly suggests a park or natural setting, adding depth to the composition.

The work is mounted on a cardboard support, but the canvas can be detached for potential restoration or remounting. The gilded frame from the early 20th century completes the presentation of the portrait.