Neapolitan School, 18th Century, Circle Of G. Bonito, Portrait Of A Young Girl With A Fan

Neapolitan School, 18th Century, Circle of Giuseppe Bonito, Portrait of a Girl with a Fan, oil on canvas, 47.5 x 36 cm

With frame: 58 x 46.5 x 4 cm

This painting is a captivating portrait of a young girl with a fan, attributed to Giuseppe Bonito (1707-1789), one of the leading painters of the 18th-century Neapolitan school.
The work captures the figure of the girl, her gaze directed directly at the viewer, establishing an intimate and immediate connection. The painter excels in his rendering of the physiognomy: the face is characterized by a youthful roundness, with slightly flushed cheeks that denote freshness and vitality. The eyes are dark and penetrating, while the mouth is slightly parted, lending the expression a tone of thoughtfulness or serene awareness.
The composition is dominated by a dark yet rich palette. The girl wears a dress in deep shades of blue, which contrasts beautifully with the brighter, more voluminous brushstrokes of the white stole draped around her shoulders. The effect of the drapery, with its soft folds, demonstrates the artist's mastery of chiaroscuro.
A striking element is the brooch that secures the stole, a jewel with a central stone in a warm red-orange hue, surrounded by a gold border and completed by a dangling drop. This small detail not only adds a touch of vibrant color, but also suggests the high social rank of the young woman portrayed.
In her right hand, the girl delicately holds a fan, which, typical of noble portraits, often symbolizes the lady's grace, education, or status.
The background is deliberately dark and undefined, interrupted only by a golden, wavy yellow ochre drapery framing the girl's head. This neutral background, treated in an almost abstract manner, serves to highlight the subject, focusing attention on her psychology and the details of her person, a characteristic of Bonito's portraiture.

Condition: The painting is in good condition.

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