Portrait Of A Young Lady In A White Dress By Charles Guillaume Bourgeois (french, 1759-1832)

Classical-style miniature depicting a young woman in a white dress with a comb in her hair, created in 1813 by Charles-Guillaume-Alexandre Bourgeois (1759 Amiens - 1832 Paris), a famous miniaturist of the early 19th century. A doctor, chemist, painter, and engraver, he studied painting with Kimly and engraving with Wille. He learned about color composition and perfected it. The artist left a legacy of works on perspective, including the "Mémoire sur les lois qui suivi dans leurs combinaisons les couleurs produites par la reflet de la lumière." He exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1800 to 1824 and resided successively at 530 rue des Moulins and 24 place Dauphine. Bourgeois painted a large number of miniatures, most of which were profile busts on a dark blue or black background, imitating the wax relief that was very fashionable at the time. Schidlof writes: "It would be a mistake, however, to believe that Bourgeois painted only in this style. A number of very fine miniatures are known in which the figures are represented full-frontal or three-quarter view." He also painted portraits in oils. Schidlof adds: "Bourgeois was a first-rate miniaturist, who probably also painted on porcelain." The Louvre holds a series of miniatures by him. Many other works by Bourgeois are exhibited in museums in Brussels, Caen, Nancy, etc.

Provenance: Private collection in the south of France.
Literature: Schidloff's Lexicon of the Miniature; Bénézit's Lexicon of the Artist; Wikipedia online.
Inscription: Signed and dated 1813 on the right edge, lower right.
Medium: Oval painting, gouache on organic plate, period gilt bronze inner frame and later added wood frame.
Dimensions: Unframed: 5.8 x 7.2 cm (2 1/4" x 2 7/8"), Framed: 11.9 x 13.5 cm (4 5/8" x 5 1/4").
Condition: Very good.