Jeanne Donnadieu – Portrait Of Henriette Bépoix, Oil On Canvas, Belle époque, 19th Century

An important Belle Époque portrait of a woman by Jeanne Louise Marguerite Donnadieu (1864–1941), a renowned French painter and regular exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Français.

Painted around 1885, this oil on canvas depicts Mademoiselle Henriette Bépoix, a famous Parisian café-concert singer and actress who was particularly popular during the 1880s and 1890s.

The artist depicts her subject in an elegant stage costume, wearing a spectacular black hat, a pearl necklace, and long black gloves. The delicate shades of lavender and blue contrast harmoniously with the dark accessories. Jeanne Donnadieu’s vivid and refined brushwork captures with great character the glamour, elegance, and atmosphere of Paris during the Belle Époque.

The painting is signed “Jeanne Donnadieu” in the upper right corner. It was exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris in 1897 and has been authenticated as an original work by the artist.

A student of Jacques-Eugène Feyen, Augustin Feyen-Perrin, Émile Bin, and Henri-Léopold Lévy, Jeanne Donnadieu exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français between 1885 and 1900. She received an honorable mention there in 1886 before becoming a member in 1889. Several of her works are now held in French public collections.

This remarkable antique painting combines several qualities sought after by collectors: a well-documented female artist, a historically identified subject, a theme linked to the Parisian entertainment world, and a history of exhibition at the Salon. A rare, elegant, and particularly decorative work, representative of late 19th-century French painting.

The work is presented in a rich, period gilded frame, included in the sale.

Artist: Jeanne Louise Marguerite Donnadieu
Subject: Portrait of Mlle Henriette Bépoix
Date: circa 1885
Technique: oil on canvas
Canvas dimensions: height 61 × width 51 cm
Dimensions with frame: height 77 × width 67 cm
Signature: signed upper right
Exhibition: Salon des Artistes Français, Paris, 1897
Condition: very good condition following professional restoration
Frame: included