Edgard Maxence - Portrait Of A Woman - Drawing

1901
Charcoal and white chalk on paper
Dedicated, signed and dated on the right “Respectful homage / to Madame Frédérique de Faye / E. Maxence / 1901”
Drawing restored by a restorer authorized by the museums of France, who, after removing the previous oval mat, retouched the corners that had not been exposed to harmonize their color with that of the paper before reframing.
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This portrait of a young woman with a soft and mysterious face, wearing a medieval-inspired headdress, perfectly illustrates the style of Edgard Maxence. The model's features are reminiscent of certain female figures featured in his iconic works, such as Femme à l’orchidee or Fleurs du lac, both produced in 1900. It could be Jeanne Job-Bardou, the identified model for the first painting, which was used for the poster for Job cigarette paper.
Edgard Maxence, a regular exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Français since 1894, enjoyed great success at the turn of the century. His unique world, marked by symbolism, is in the tradition of Gustave Moreau, his master, and the Pre-Raphaelite painters, with whom he shares a taste for mystery and dreams. His Fleurs du lac earned him the gold medal at the 1900 Universal Exhibition. A multifaceted artist, Edgard Maxence explored a wide variety of techniques: oil of course, but also watercolor, pastel, charcoal, gouache, wax, and tempera. In this drawing, the use of white chalk gives the model's face an almost unreal pallor, reinforcing her phantasmagorical aura.
The work bears a dedication to Frederique de Faye, a Breton pianist and composer born the same year as Edgard Maxence. He showed a deep interest in music, which he frequently incorporated into his compositions through depictions of female musicians or singers.