Unknown artist – Portrait of a woman with a large hat, oil on canvas, c. 1905–1915

Portrait of a woman with a large hat – oil on loose canvas, c. 1905–1915

A compelling antique portrait of a woman with a large black hat, painted around 1905–1915. She looks the viewer straight in the eye; her pinned-up hair, the high white collar with cameo brooch and the wide hat are typical of the fashion of the Edwardian era / Belle Époque. The portrait is thinly and mattly painted on linen canvas, against a warm rust-brown background. The canvas is not stretched and has been folded over the years: the paint has flaked along the fold lines, giving the work a strongly weathered, almost fresco-like appearance.

Why we chose this piece

Despite – or precisely because of – the many lines of damage, this portrait has enormous presence. The woman’s gaze has remained clear, and the damage reads like a web across the image, as if you were looking at a memory. For anyone who loves the wabi-sabi feeling of faded beauty, this is a special piece.

Style and interior

This portrait suits a rural, brocante or wabi-sabi interior, against a lime-washed or old stone wall, and also a studio or a robust, industrial interior. It can be leaned or pinned loosely against the wall, or stretched on a new stretcher.

Dimensions: to follow shortly
Artist: unknown artist
Technique: thin, matte oil paint on linen canvas, unstretched (loose canvas laid on a sheet of card)
Signature: a faint, illegible signature at upper right (photo 4)
Period: c. 1905–1915
Origin: Western Europe
Quantity: 1
Condition: heavily damaged and priced accordingly. The canvas has been folded and creased several times in the past; along all these fold lines the paint has flaked down to the bare linen, spread over the whole image, including the face (photos 1–3). The paint layer is also worn and dusty in many places (photo 4). The edges of the canvas are fraying, with loose threads and a folded-over corner at lower left (photo 1). The canvas is unstretched and unframed. Restoration (stretching, flattening, retouching) is possible, but the work can also be hung in this weathered state.

Price:
€ 50

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