Albert Jules Edouard Paintings Portrait Of A Woman With A Laurel Wreath, Antique Muse, 19th Century Decor

Albert-Jules Edouard (1845–1919) – Portrait of a Young Woman with a Laurel Wreath, Antique Allegory. In this beautiful academic portrait, Albert-Jules Edouard depicts a young woman facing the viewer, draped in the antique style and wearing a deep green laurel wreath. Bathed in soft light, her face stands out against a velvety reddish-brown background that accentuates the milky whiteness of her skin and the slight rosiness of her cheeks. The slightly shadowed eyes give the sitter a serious and introspective expression, like that of a muse or an inspired poet. The light-colored tunic, edged with a fine red braid, reinforces the antique and theatrical dimension of the figure, while the brushwork remains smooth and precise, characteristic of the great academic painting of the late 19th century. The whole, framed in a richly sculpted and gilded frame, has a true salon-like presence. Albert-Jules Edouard (1845–1919) was a French painter trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Caen, then in Paris in the studios of masters such as Jean-Léon Gérôme, Léon Cogniet, and Jules-Élie Delaunay. He became known as a history painter, but also as a portraitist and the creator of genre scenes and landscapes. From the late 1860s onward, he exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français, where he received several awards, as well as at the 1889 Universal Exhibition. His work, imbued with classical, literary, and allegorical references, perfectly illustrates the great French academic tradition of the late 19th century, combining technical virtuosity with a taste for noble subjects. Artist: Albert-Jules Edouard (Caen 1845 – Paris 1919) Signature: Signed upper left A. Edouard Portrait of a woman with a laurel wreath, draped in the classical style (figure of a muse or allegory of Poetry/Glory) Oil on canvas Period: Late 19th century, circa 1880–1900 School/Origin: French school, academic painting Overall dimensions with frame: Approximately 46 cm x 38 cm Visible canvas dimensions: Slightly smaller (see photos for exact proportions) Original stretched canvas on its antique wooden frame. Frame: very beautiful period frame in wood and gilt stucco, rich decoration of acanthus leaves, shells and scrolls, patinated gilding with some chips and wear from use, but superb decorative presence. State of preservation: network of old cracks on the surface, homogeneous and stable, small soilings and surface rubbing, nothing structurally problematic; Some losses and chips to the gilding of the frame. Antique painting, oil on canvas, Albert Jules Edouard, A. Edouard, Albert-Jules Edouard painter, portrait of a woman, woman with a laurel wreath, muse, allegory, antique figure, academic painting, French school 19th century, late 19th century, Belle Époque, salon painting, neoclassical portrait, antique tunic, green laurel, neoclassical style, French academic art, history painter, academic portrait, 19th century art, signed painting, figurative painting, academic realism, female bust, woman's face, melancholic gaze, reddish-brown background, soft chiaroscuro, antique gilt frame, wood and gilt stucco frame, rich framing, wall decoration, salon decor, Haussmannian interior, classical decoration, château decoration, manor house, cabinet of curiosities, collection of antique paintings, museum-quality painting, Parisian salon painting, Universal Exhibition 1889, Salon painter, historical art, mythological subject, antique inspiration, glory, poetry. Poet's laurel wreath, chic decoration, theatrical decor, French classical art, gallery painting, collector's item, painting for the discerning art lover, original painting, authentic work, patina of age, decorative craquelure, antique charm, ready-to-hang painting, antique painting, French academic painting, fine art, wall art, Belle Époque portrait, decorative investment, art gift, painting with gilt frame, grand academic tradition, Parisian workshop, painting to be cleaned, library decor, bourgeois living room, Second Empire style, Napoleon III style, refined female portrait, antique painting of a woman, 19th-century art collection