Allegorical Portrait Of A Young Woman With Flowers – Youth And The Passing Of Time

French School, circa 1660–1670
Allegorical Portrait of a Young Woman with Flowers – Youth and the Flight of Time

Oil on canvas depicting a young woman of high social standing, richly dressed in blue and white silks, adorned with pearls and jewelry, holding a basket of flowers.

The presence of cut flowers and fallen blossoms in the foreground likely lends an allegorical dimension to the composition. A symbol of beauty and youth, the flower also serves, through its ephemeral nature, as a reminder of the fleeting nature of time and the fragility of beauty.
The costume, the curly hairstyle, the low neckline, the puffed satin sleeves, and the jewelry allow us to date the work to the third quarter of the 17th century, likely around 1660–1670.
This portrait also bears very interesting similarities to the portrait of the Duchess of Savoy housed at the Crozatier Museum in Le Puy-en-Velay and attributed to Charles Beaubrun (1604–1692). The comparison is particularly noteworthy due to the female model’s type, hairstyle, rendering of the face, costume, and the general style of the court portrait. This comparison allows us to cautiously suggest a connection to Charles Beaubrun’s circle, though it does not, on its own, constitute an attribution.

Presented in a large carved and gilded wooden frame from the 17th century.

Dimensions of the painting: 102 cm
x 82 cm

Dimensions of the frame: 122 cm x 101 cm