Louis-Léopold Boilly

M. Kinen, Paris, by 1898;
André Weil, Paris;
René Fribourg, New York;
By whose Executors sold ("The Rene Fribourg Collection: II"), London, Sotheby's, June 26, 1963, lot 71B to Dr. Singer for £350;
Dr. J. Singer, 1963-64;
Private Collection, until 1989;
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, December 8, 1989, lot 78.

H. Harrisse, L-L Boilly, Peintre, Dessinateur et Lithographe, Sa Vie et son Oeuvre, Paris, 1898, cat. no 838.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has been recently lined and although currently framed behind glass, the condition is clearly excellent. Some cracking in the forehead has been restored. This cracking extends through the face and very slightly in the remainder of the figure. In the rest of the picture an uneven varnish and a few restored cracks are visible under ultraviolet light, yet other than this there appear to be no restorations. The cracking in the face has been very nicely restored and we recommend that the picture be hung as is.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Famed for his remarkable genre scenes, Boilly was also a highly skilled and sought after portraitist.  From about 1778 to 1800, his portraits were mostly small (22 by 17 cm.) bust-length works on canvas, with only the rare exception.¹  However, around 1800 Boilly began to vary his portrait format.  Though he continued to paint the small scale busts, he also produced larger full and three-quarter length portraits, placing his sitters, for the first time, in landscape settings.

This Portrait of a Lady is an exceptionally fine example of this new format.  The smooth, porcelain-like finish and precise drawing recall the work of certain Dutch 17^th Century painters, such as Gabriel Metsu and Gerard Terborch, so greatly admired by Boilly.²  Great attention is given to the smallest details of the sitter's costume and jewelry.

Despite the inscription on the reverse, 'Mme Vincent amie de Boilly', Harrisse (see Literature), in his catalogue raisonné, calls this portrait simply Jeune Femme and the identity of the sitter remains unknown.  A collector named Vincent owned a significant number of works by Boilly and these were dispersed at his sale on January 24 1877.  Unfortunately, no picture matching the present portrait appears to have been in his collection.  Whether or not the sitter in this lovely portrait was somehow connected to Boilly's patron named Vincent (perhaps his wife?) remains a mystery.

 

1  Such as the three-quarter length Portrait of Lucille Desmoulins, 1791, Musée Marmottan, Paris; or the full-length Portrait of Robespierre, circa 1789, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille.
2  Boilly, himself, owned an important collection of works by Dutch masters which was sold at auction in Paris on April 13-14, 1824.