Artwork Page for Portrait of a Woman

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Portrait of a Woman

c. 1889–1899

Jean-Baptiste-Antoine-Emile Béranger

(French, 1814–1883)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
pastel
Support
Blue wove paper
Measurements
Sheet: 68.9 x 50.2 cm (27 1/8 x 19 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2009.136
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

Béranger is known as an academic painter of genre subjects. This pastel study of a young woman with downcast eyes conveys a sense of vitality and immediacy lacking in his more highly finished works in oil. While the graceful features of her face are articulated with tender detail, the flowers adorning her hair are summarily indicated with a handful of rapid strokes, and her bodice is barely suggested.
A vertically oriented pastel drawing with roughly sketched marks depicts a woman with light skin tone from the chest up. Her head tilts down toward our right with downcast eyes. Dark hair is gathered in a bun and adorned with white flowers. She wears a small gold earring. Her torso is defined by white and blue strokes against a brown background. A dark shadow frames her head, and red script appears on our left.

Portrait of a Woman

c. 1889–1899

Jean-Baptiste-Antoine-Emile Béranger

(French, 1814–1883)
France, 19th century

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