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Femme écrivant une lettre, dit la Madeleine écrivant une lettre
Details
MAÎTRE DES DEMI-FIGURES (ACTIF À ANVERS ET MALINES DANS LA PREMIÈRE MOITIÉ DU XVIe SIÈCLE)
Femme écrivant une lettre, dit la Madeleine écrivant une lettre
huile sur panneau
54,2 x 41 cm (21 1⁄3 x 16 1⁄8 in.)
Femme écrivant une lettre, dit la Madeleine écrivant une lettre
huile sur panneau
54,2 x 41 cm (21 1⁄3 x 16 1⁄8 in.)
Provenance
Collection particulière, France ;
Acquis auprès de celle-ci par l'actuel propriétaire, Paris, dans les années 1980.
Acquis auprès de celle-ci par l'actuel propriétaire, Paris, dans les années 1980.
Further Details
MASTER OF THE FEMALE HALF-LENGTHS (ACTIVE IN THE FIRST HALF 16th CENTURY), WOMAN WRITING A LETTER, OR THE MAGDALENE WRITING A LETTER, OIL ON PANEL
This previously unpublished painting, of remarkable sensitivity, enriches the fascinating corpus of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths, a designation coined by Max Jakob Friedländer (1867-1958) at the turn of the twentieth century. The formal language of this group is characterized by representations, most often half-length, of young women drawn from Scripture or Antiquity. These figures are distinguished by their gentle, idealized oval faces, shown in three-quarter view, with slightly lowered eyelids. Their execution reveals the influence of the Bruges painters Adriaen Isenbrandt (1480-1551) and Ambrosius Benson (1490-1550), as well as the Brussels master Bernard van Orley (1487-1541).
The young woman depicted writing a letter is sometimes identified as Mary Magdalene. The perfume jar visible in the background, one of her most constant attributes in Christian iconography, refers to the Gospel episode in which Mary Magdalene poured perfume on Christ’s feet as a sign of humility. Stylistically, the painting may be compared with two other representations of Mary Magdalene catalogued by Friedländer (Early Netherlandish Painting, New York-Washington, 1975, XII, p. 99, nos. 91–92).
The corpus of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths now comprises more than one hundred works, although several art historians today believe the group in fact brings together several distinct hands. The present painting stands out for its charm and mastery of execution, making it a particularly accomplished example. Sustained attention is given to the rendering of fabrics: velvet and muslin subtly respond to one another, while the sleeves, tightened with embroidered ribbons, lend the figure a refined elegance. The letter itself, whose calligraphy seems more suggested than transcribed, is treated with remarkable minuteness. Finally, one may note the detail of the reflection of the young woman’s neck in the bull’s-eye mirror at the back, which adds a further touch of delicacy and sensuality to the composition as a whole, while evoking the legacy of Jan van Eyck (c.1390-1441) and his Arnolfini Portrait (National Gallery, London, inv. NG186).
This previously unpublished painting, of remarkable sensitivity, enriches the fascinating corpus of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths, a designation coined by Max Jakob Friedländer (1867-1958) at the turn of the twentieth century. The formal language of this group is characterized by representations, most often half-length, of young women drawn from Scripture or Antiquity. These figures are distinguished by their gentle, idealized oval faces, shown in three-quarter view, with slightly lowered eyelids. Their execution reveals the influence of the Bruges painters Adriaen Isenbrandt (1480-1551) and Ambrosius Benson (1490-1550), as well as the Brussels master Bernard van Orley (1487-1541).
The young woman depicted writing a letter is sometimes identified as Mary Magdalene. The perfume jar visible in the background, one of her most constant attributes in Christian iconography, refers to the Gospel episode in which Mary Magdalene poured perfume on Christ’s feet as a sign of humility. Stylistically, the painting may be compared with two other representations of Mary Magdalene catalogued by Friedländer (Early Netherlandish Painting, New York-Washington, 1975, XII, p. 99, nos. 91–92).
The corpus of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths now comprises more than one hundred works, although several art historians today believe the group in fact brings together several distinct hands. The present painting stands out for its charm and mastery of execution, making it a particularly accomplished example. Sustained attention is given to the rendering of fabrics: velvet and muslin subtly respond to one another, while the sleeves, tightened with embroidered ribbons, lend the figure a refined elegance. The letter itself, whose calligraphy seems more suggested than transcribed, is treated with remarkable minuteness. Finally, one may note the detail of the reflection of the young woman’s neck in the bull’s-eye mirror at the back, which adds a further touch of delicacy and sensuality to the composition as a whole, while evoking the legacy of Jan van Eyck (c.1390-1441) and his Arnolfini Portrait (National Gallery, London, inv. NG186).
Brought to you by
Olivia Ghosh
Specialist