Portrait of the artist's son Pierre

This elegant pastel portrays the artist’s son Pierre. As indicated by the inscription on the left, the portrait was dedicated by Vollon to his wife Mathilde whom he also depicted in a painted portrait (Christie's, South Kensington, 6 April 2000, lot 169). Little is known of Pierre Vollon who may have died at a young age. The little boy, dressed in a sailor suit, was also depicted in a full-length, life-size painting by Vollon in 1895 (Gros and Delettrez, Paris, 19 April 2002, lot 93).

Here the distinctive profile of the young sitter is set against a sumptuous brocade that, together with the boy’s elegant shirt, creates a sense of great sophistication.