Jean-dominique Van Caulaert 1897 Large Full-length Portrait Of An Elegant Woman 1936 Vim25hst001

Large full-length portrait of an elegant woman, 1936 — Signed HST — 89 x 116 cm VIM25HST001
Jean-Dominique Van Caulaert (1897–1979)

A French painter, poster artist, and portraitist of Belgian origin, Jean-Dominique Van Caulaert established himself in the 1920s as the official portraitist of Parisian high society and the major stars of music hall and cinema during the interwar period — Mistinguett, Joséphine Baker, Marlene Dietrich, Tino Rossi, and Cécile Sorel were among his most famous subjects. Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, he moved to Paris, where his elegant and fluid style—in the grand tradition of Art Deco society portraitists—captivated Parisian high society well into the 1950s. He then divided his career between Montmartre—where he lived at the Villa des Arts until his death—and New York, where he painted American film stars, including Ava Gardner. A Knight of the Legion of Honor, Van Caulaert remains today one of the most refined artistic witnesses to Parisian elegance during the interwar period.

A large and captivating oil on canvas signed J.D. Van Caulaert, depicting a full-length portrait of an elegant bourgeois woman from the 1930s in the artist’s characteristic style.

The model, smiling and wearing short curls typical of 1930s fashion, is depicted standing, dressed in a long, light-colored, draped gown, with a white fur stole or cape draped over her shoulders. Her right hand, elegantly positioned, is adorned with a ring set with a stone—a meticulous detail that places the subject among the Parisian upper middle class of the time. The rendering of the face and skin tones, with confident and lively brushstrokes, contrasts with a background and the lower part of the dress left in a rough, unfinished state, with the raw canvas still visible in places—a technique typical of the great society portraitists of this generation, who prioritized the liveliness of the face and gesture over the finish of the background.

Signed lower left “J.D. Van Caulaert” and dated 1936

Condition: in need of restoration. Thin canvas, needs to be mounted. Visible raw edges; presented unframed (on an easel for the photo). Some areas of the background and drapery remain in a rough, unfinished state, consistent with the artist’s style. No major visible damage, but restoration (mounting) is recommended before final framing.

89 x 116 cm (unframed)
Oil on fine canvas
J.D. Van Caulaert, lower left

Reference: VIM25HST001

Shipping: No shipping—in-person pickup only