Portrait Of A Lady – Miniature From The 17th Century French School

Oil on copper
Conforming to the conventions of portraiture that prevailed in the articulation of the 17th and 18th centuries, our young and beautiful young woman is portrayed in a three-quarter face. She sports the famous “à la Fontanges” hairstyle and is lightly dressed in a lace-trimmed chemise with a wide neckline. Many painters devoted themselves to the art of miniature in these times, but few have entered posterity: “The world of miniature covers an infinite variety of small objects, scale models, illuminated manuscripts and delicately painted miniature works. Who were the miniature painters? Behind the nebula of anonymous hacks at the discretion of goldsmiths and amateurs of little stature, shine so many talented artists to be rediscovered... " Among these, let us mention Jean-Louis Petitot (1653 – 1702) who could be the author of this painted medallion.

The portrait is presented under glass in a gilt bronze medallion.
Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.3 cm – 9.2 x 7.9 cm with the frame

Reference work: Lemoine-Bouchard Nathalie, Les peintres en miniature actif en France, 1650-1850, Editions de l'Amateur, 2008