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Bust portrait of a woman

Maker

(artist)
born 1816

Title

Date of Production

(25 August) 1816

Medium

black chalk on wove paper, now laid down on Japanese tissue (examined under microscope)

Dimensions

Height: 27.5 cm
Width: 20.6 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.4551

Mode of Acquisition

Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

This controlled study in graphite of a woman’s head, framed by a plumed turban and two clusters of curls, is probably a pendant to a male profile by the same artist, who may be her husband and whom she appears to be turning toward. The type of such pendant portraits originated during the Renaissance; despite the sitters’ contemporary dress, the poses convey a sense of timelessness.

Provenance

R.G. Waldron; purchased from him by Colnaghi (London), 8 May 1951 (along with D.1952.RW.4550); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), 20 October 1951 (£9); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Special Display - French Portraits, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2013-02/09/2013

Material Evidence, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/10/1998-24/01/1999

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Recto: lower right corner, grey ink, signed and dated by the artist: “25 août 1816 / Antonia Lafitte / 25 août – 1816 //”. Verso (hidden under Japanese tissue): lower right edge, graphite, Colnaghi number: “A18218”.

Collector's mark: none.

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