artisticinsight:The Lady with the Veil, by Alexander RoslinI have received quite a few messages in t
artisticinsight:The Lady with the Veil, by Alexander RoslinI have received quite a few messages in the past regarding the painting I keep as my icon. It has prompted me to write a little info on this beautiful masterpiece. The painting in question is named ‘La Dame au voile’ (‘The Lady with the Veil’) and was created in 1768. It is a piece that just screams ‘mysterious,’ which I just love so much.The artist was a Swedish portrait painter named Alexander Roslin (1718-1793) who would eventually earn his fame in France. The model to this piece, which is considered Roslin’s most well-known by far, is in fact his wife; Marie-Suzanne Giroust (1734-1772). Giroust was an artist herself, a pastel painter to be exact. She was held in high regard for her work, having been a member (along with her husband) of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture (the French Art Academy). Her husband once said she was a more skilled pastel painter than himself.The painting became an instant success. The atmosphere is fashionable and tempting, yet retains secrecy and mystery. Symbolism is included, such as the fan she uses to stroke her cheek and her Bolognese dress. Fans were often used as ways of sending discreet messages with the way they were held, opened, or closed. Paired with a mischievous smile, it is difficult not to be entranced by this sphinx-like woman. -- source link
#portraits#paintings#18th century#1760's