Oil Painting Question and Introduction

Hi there! Excited to join the forum. I have a small antique business, selling French antiques. I purchased this lovely oil painting on our last trip to France and unfortunately don't have much information on it. It's an oil on wooden panel, seems to be original frame. I've never seen another one quite like it, it's truly stunning. Any ideas on age based on costume and style? Thanks for your help!

 

Welcome, Marie! I've taken the liberty of reposting your photograph as Full Image so it's easier for everyone to see. (You'll want to make sure to do that in the future.)

Three things: 1) What were you told about your painting when you bought it? 2) What is the size? and 3) Please post a photograph of the back including frame. If there are any labels, stickers or handwritten notations, please post a photograph of them too.

Debora

 

Hi Debora,

Thanks so much! Not sure how to post the photo that way, I'll try with the back here...

The auction wasn't certain, they said possible 18th or 19th century. The size including frame is 30" x 25.5".

 

She's a beauty, Marie. And her portrait is 19th century. Second French Empire. Here's a 1864 fashion plate in which you can see the woman on the far left has the very same hairstyle. I'd think the frame was period (although someone has recently stabilized it a bit.) Suspect they searched for artist's signature at same time and found the work unsigned as the artist's name wasn't provided at the time of auction.

Posting Full Image is easy. After you click on Upload a File and choose your image, you'll be given a choice between Thumbnail and Full Image. Just click on the latter.

Debora

 

beautiful portrait indeed

 

Yes, beautiful.

 

Greetings, Marie MT!

 

Welcome Marie! Beautiful painting. Aside from the fact that Debora is usually right, I think both the hairstyle and the painting style is very mid-to-late 19th Century- La Coquette!

 

I confess I only know about this from the research I did before making my first Victorian gown, and when I more recently did research in preparation for making a new one.