Giuseppe Locatelli Miniature Portrait Young Woman Red Dress Antique Italy 18th Century

Miniature portrait of a young woman with red drapery, signed Locatelli, Italy circa 1790/1800

Oval miniature portrait depicting a young woman in bust form, slightly turned three-quarter, her gaze directed at the viewer. She is wearing a supple white dress with short sleeves, enhanced by a red drape over the shoulder, in a distinctly neoclassical spirit. The ensemble is reminiscent of late 18th-century Italian fashion, around 1780-1790, when antique-style white gowns, streamlined silhouettes and draped fabrics became the norm in women's portraits.

The pose, calm and restrained, retains the elegance of late 18th-century society portraiture. The oval face, light complexion, gentle gaze and discreet mouth give the figure an intimate, refined presence. The black hairstyle, with central parting and side curls, is in keeping with this period of transition between the neoclassical taste of the 1790s and the early years of the Consulate.

The work is attributed to Giuseppe Locatelli, also known as Lucatelli, an Italian painter born in Mogliano in 1751 and who died in Tolentino in 1828. Trained in the Roman artistic climate of the second half of the 18th century, he was a painter, architect, decorator and portraitist. His work is associated with Italian neoclassicism, with a focus on clarity of drawing, nobility of attitude and measured elegance of figure. This miniature, with its sober background, delicately modeled face and red drapery with antique references, is part of this Italian universe of the late 18th century.

The portrait displays a beautiful finesse of execution. The face is delicately modeled, the eyes are precisely positioned, the hair is worked in small, tight strokes, and the red drapery adds a highly decorative note of color. The golden-brown background, deliberately neutral, focuses attention on the figure and reinforces the depth of the gaze.

Condition: miniature in good presentation condition, fresh colors, clearly legible subject. Some dust and reflections under glass, not serious for the reading of the work. Antique black oval-view frame, with gilded inner ring. The frame is visibly missing at the bottom, with a crack and wear from use. Antique reverse with worn papers, traces of mounting and handwritten Locatelli inscription, signed lower right Locatelli f ( fecit) See photos.

Dimensions: miniature diameter: 7 cm. Overall frame dimensions: 12 cm.