Alice Lefevre

About the Portrait

This intimate pastel drawing depicts a young woman in profile, dressed in street clothes and reclining on a pillow. Dated 1881, the work is almost certainly a self-portrait of the artist. Unlike the rest of her works, which were signed "A. Lefevre," this portrait is signed only with her full name, suggesting that it was not created for exhibition but for herself or for private use.

The composition captures a moment of quiet repose, with the subject's relaxed pose and informal dress creating an atmosphere of intimacy and introspection. The pastel medium allows for soft transitions of tone and color, characteristic of late 19th-century French pastel portraiture. The work demonstrates Lefevre's skill in capturing both physical likeness and psychological presence.

Signed and dated in the lower right area, this pastel on paper remains in very good condition and is presented with an oval passe-partout in a gilt wood frame. Note that this work has no protective glass, as was sometimes the practice with pastel drawings to avoid reflections and allow direct viewing of the delicate surface.

About the Artist

Marie Augustine Alice Lefevre (1859-1890) was a French painter specializing in pastel portraits and miniatures. Born in Wasigny, Ardennes, on April 30, 1859, she was the daughter of a civil servant from the Ministry of Finance. The family later moved to Orléans, where she spent much of her youth.

Lefevre studied art at two of Paris's most important private academies: the Académie des Champs-Élysées and the Académie Julian. At the Académie Julian, she was a pupil of Louis Boutet de Monvel, known for his illustrations and decorative work, and Jean-Paul Laurens, a prominent academic painter of historical subjects. This training provided her with a solid foundation in drawing, composition, and the pastel medium.

She exhibited at the Salon of the Society of French Artists (Salon des Artistes Français) in 1888, 1889, and 1890, demonstrating her active participation in the official French art world during the final years of her life. In addition to her artistic practice, Lefevre worked as a drawing teacher, contributing to art education in Paris.

Tragically, Alice Lefevre died in Paris on September 30, 1890, at the age of only 31, following a painful surgical operation. Her promising career was cut short just as she was establishing herself within Parisian artistic circles. She is buried in Orléans Cemetery.

Lefevre's work represents the contributions of female artists to late 19th-century French art, particularly in the medium of pastel portraiture. Her training at the Académie Julian, which was one of the few institutions that accepted female students during this period, reflects the gradual opening of professional artistic education to women in France during the 1880s.

Technical Details

Artist: Alice Lefevre (1859-1890)
Signed: Lower right area, dated 1881
Date: 1881
Medium: Pastel on paper
Condition: Very good condition
Dimensions: 61 x 46 cm / 24 x 18 in (sheet); 47 x 37 cm / 18½ x 14½ in (view)
Frame: 66 x 57 cm / 26 x 22½ in, gilt wood with oval passe-partout, very good condition
Note: No protective glass
Origin: France

An intimate self-portrait by an Académie Julian student and Salon exhibitor.