Hélène Fourment, An Allegory Of Melancholy, After The Studio Of Peter Paul Rubens – 18th Century

An 18th-century oil on canvas depicting a young woman traditionally identified as Hélène Fourment (1614–1673), the second wife of Peter Paul Rubens and one of his favorite models.

The young woman is depicted seated indoors, her face tilted and her chin resting on her right hand, in a meditative pose evoking an allegory of Melancholy. She wears a golden-yellow satin dress with long blue-green sleeves, remarkably enlivened by shimmering highlights, while a light, transparent veil drapes over her shoulders and frames her braided hair, gathered into a bun.

On the left, a second figure is partially visible, draped in a loose red garment, whose hands complete the composition. The architectural background, rendered in brown tones, particularly highlights the model’s fair complexion and the deep colors of the fabrics.

The figure closely resembles a documented model from the circle of Peter Paul Rubens. A Study of a Seated Woman, Probably Hélène Fourment, attributed to the master’s studio, indeed features the same pose, the same hairstyle, and a very similar costume. Another early version on an oak panel also depicts this figure.

Our painting thus constitutes an early and expanded version of this Rubens model, here reimagined in a more elaborate composition featuring interior architecture and a figure draped in red.

An old inscription on the stretcher explicitly identifies the model:
“Hélène Fourment, wife of Rubens.”

18th-century school, after a model from the studio of Peter Paul Rubens.

Dimensions of the canvas: 81 cm high × 69.5 cm wide.

Previous restorations, with a visible patch on the reverse.
Presented in a modern gilded wooden frame.

Delivery in a wooden crate via carrier: 150 euros in France, 300 euros in the EU, and 1,000 euros to the rest of the world.