Oval portrait of a young woman of stature. Pastel on vellum paper mounted on an 18th century frame. The sitter is wearing a "robe à la française", or sack-back gown, very popular in aristocratic circles and the upper middle class in the mid-eighteenth century. The image is in good condition and unsigned. The oval frame is of a later date. A partial commercial label on the back of the frame identifies the maker as the workshop of Sauty Fils. This corresponds to Prosper Sauty (1812-1862), established at 18, rue du Louvre in Paris and active between 1835 and 1861. Sauty was a manufacturer of frames, a gilder, an art dealer and provider for the House of the Emperor, among others. Recently restored, this frame has two small fracture lines visible in the photos.
Artist: Unknown (unsigned).
Medium: Pastel on vellum paper.
Condition: Good condition.
Dimensions: 55 x 45 cm / 21 1/2 x 17 1/2 in.
Frame: 70 x 57 cm. / 27 1/2 x 22 1/2 in. Oval. Gilt wood, good condition.
Origin: France.