The Portrait of a Lady depicts a standing in the center and dresses in clothing inspired by the Ancient Greeks. It was quite common in portraiture of this time for women to dress up in the costume of characters in the literature of Greek mythology. The woman looks off to the side and holds on to her yellow shawl with one hand. This curated image captures an informal moment in which Benoist captures the lifelike appearance of her subjects. For centuries, it was wrongly attributed to her famous teacher Jacque-Louis David. The details of the subject’s hair, the folding of the garments and shawl, as well as the reflection of light on the woman’s body. In addition, the lightness of the color palette used on the woman contrasts the dark background which focuses the viewers’ attention on the subject.
SKU: 17531
Creator: Marie Guillemine Benoist
Date: ca. 1799
Original Medium: Oil on canvas
Original Size: 39 1/2 in. x 32 1/8 in.
Location: San Diego Museum of Art