Galerie Dreyfus
41
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JEAN-JACQUES HENNER (BERNWILLER 1829 – PARIS 1905)
Portrait …
See original version (French)
41
-
JEAN-JACQUES HENNER (BERNWILLER 1829 – PARIS 1905)
Portrait …
See original version (French)
Estimate €6,000 - €7,500
Voluntary lot
Description
JEAN-JACQUES HENNER
(BERNWILLER 1829 – PARIS 1905)
Portrait of Henriette Levy
1873
Oil on panel
23.5 cm x 18.5 cm
Provenance:
Property of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco
contemporary label on the reverse confirming the subject’s identity and the date of execution.
This portrait of Henriette Levy, painted in 1873, is a masterful demonstration of
Jean-Jacques Henner’s genius in the art of the profile. At this time, the artist was at the height of
his fame, having already been awarded the Medal of Honour at the Salon. Here we see his purest visual signature:
that dramatic chiaroscuro in which the face, as pale as porcelain, seems to
emerge from a dark and mysterious background. The light does not fall upon the model; it seems to
emanate from her very skin, creating an almost supernatural presence.
The power of this work lies in the striking contrast between the simplicity of the background and
the brilliance of the blue ribbon tied around her neck, which electrifies the composition. This blue, with its
unblemished freshness, draws the eye to the delicate profile of Henriette Levy, whose expression Henner captures with
a fascinating economy of means. Every brushstroke is precise, from the coppery highlights
in her hair to the clean line of her nose, bearing witness to the influence of the Italian Renaissance
masters whom Henner so greatly admired.
In an intimate format, this panel is a precious record of Parisian society during the
Second Empire and the early Third Republic. The presence of the period label
on the reverse, authenticating the model and the date, lends it a rare historical and documentary value.
It is a collector’s item par excellence, of timeless elegance, which illustrates
why Henner remains one of the most sought-after portraitists of his century.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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