Portrait of Cécile Vitet, in profile - Jean
- Original dimensions
- 48 x 59 cm
- Museum
- Patrick and Beatrice Haggerty Museum of Art
- Year
- 1850
Scene depicted
The painting "Portrait de Cécile Vitet, de profil" immerses us in a moment of intimacy, capturing a timeless beauty. Cécile, revealed by Gérôme's masterful brushwork, stands there, frozen in time, and her delicately traced profile reveals a depth of soul. This scene, of palpable tranquility, resonates with the echo of a bygone era, where nobility and modesty coexisted, making this moment eternal.
Historical context
Created in 1850, at the crossroads between realism and neo-classicism , this painting is part of a creative whirlwind in Paris, where art flourished under new influences. The canvas is currently displayed at the Patrick and Beatrice Haggerty Museum of Art, a collection where Gérôme's passionate painting comes to life for the public. With its dimensions of 48 x 59 cm, this canvas is a tangible testament to a time of great artistic richness.
Place in the artist's career
This canvas is part of a pivotal period in Gérôme's career, marking the beginning of a series of portraits that would establish him as a master of oil painting. Compared to other works such as "Pollice verso" and "The Education of Achilles," this canvas shows the evolution of his technique, shifting from a more dramatic approach to a focus on the psychology of the subjects.
Anecdote
Jean-Léon Gérôme once said: "Art is the very definition of beauty in truth." It is this quest for aesthetic truth that drove him to immortalize Cécile Vitet, whose profile gaze evokes the quiet strength of a lady from the 19th century. One sunny morning, in a lilac-scented garden, he saw his model posing, illuminated by a soft light, revealing all the delicacy of her nature.