Pastel Portrait Of Madame Fuchs, Signed By Debus And Dated 1830 – Louis XVI Frame

A delicate pastel portrait of a woman in profile, bearing a handwritten inscription on the reverse identifying her as “Madame Fuchs” and noting “by DEBUS – 1830.”

The lady is depicted in bust and profile, wearing a dark dress that is wide open over a white shawl. Her face stands out against a bluish-gray background, in a sober composition that focuses all attention on her features and the richness of her hairstyle.

Her hair is pulled back and adorned with an imposing white lace headpiece, embellished with ribbons delicately accented with pink. The finesse of the pastel work is particularly evident in the rendering of the lace’s translucency, the skin tones, and the fabrics. A multi-strand necklace completes the ensemble.

The portrait is mounted under glass in a large, oval medallion frame made of carved and gilded wood, in the Louis XVI style. Its pediment is crowned with a carved ribbon bow, from which long garlands of undulating ribbons cascade on either side. A wide Marie-Louise frame surrounds the portrait and enhances its decorative character.

The frame features beautiful antique gilding with visible wear, touch-ups, and minor imperfections, particularly in the carved sections, which attest to its age.

On the reverse, an old handwritten inscription reads:

“Madame Fuchsof Fuchs am Bückelby DEBUS 1830”

This annotation provides an interesting piece of provenance information and allows the portrait to be dated to 1830, provided that it is contemporary with the work.

Artist: Debus (according to the inscription on the reverse; artist not identified with certainty)
Subject: portrait of Madame Fuchs
Technique: pastel on paper, mounted under glass
Date: 1830, according to the inscription on the reverse
Period: first half of the 19th century
Frame: carved and gilded wood, Louis XVI style, with a bow and ribbon motif
Shape: oval medallion
Condition: shows signs of use. Wear and damage to the gilding and carved decoration of the frame. The pastel is preserved under glass. See photographs.