Louis-léopold Boilly (1761–1845) Portrait Of A Young Woman Oil On Canvas Date: Circa 1820

Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845)

Portrait of a Young Woman

Oil on canvas

Date: circa 1820

Dimensions: 20.5 × 16.5 cm (unframed)

Condition: good overall, with a patina and signs of age consistent with the period. Some minor abrasions and old retouchings visible.

A finely executed portrait of a young woman wearing a black dress with a lace-trimmed neckline. She wears a double strand of grey pearls with a small gold medallion, and a discreet hair ornament placed in her carefully styled coiffure.

Louis-Léopold Boilly: a portraitist through revolutionary times

Born in La Bassée in 1761, Boilly began receiving portrait commissions at a very young age. In 1785, he moved to Paris, where he quickly became a sought-after portraitist, renowned for his precise depictions of the bourgeoisie and aristocracy.

After the Revolution, he faced challenges during the Reign of Terror. In 1793, he was denounced for works deemed morally inappropriate by republican standards, but managed to avoid punishment by presenting his Triumph of Marat, now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lille. Boilly adapted to the political upheavals of the time and continued working steadily.

He exhibited regularly at the Salon from 1793 to 1824, becoming an artistic witness to his era. This portrait, painted around 1820, exemplifies Boilly’s mature style, marked by refined execution and meticulous attention to detail.

Framing: modern wood and glass frame from the 20th century.