Artwork
Portrait of Princess T.N..Yusupova
Portrait of Princess T.N..Yusupova is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Jean-Baptiste Marie Fouque. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Jean-Baptiste Marie Fouque’s 1875 oil painting presents Princess T.N. Yusupova in a quiet, intimate pose. Executed in a style reminiscent of Impressionism, the work is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s late‑19th‑century focus on portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, a young princess, is shown seated in a pink dress, her hair neatly gathered and a simple white collar framing her neck. She holds a modest bouquet, while a table before her bears an overflowing arrangement of flowers, suggesting themes of youth, refinement, and domestic tranquility.
Technique & Style
Fouque employs soft, blended brushwork that merges the pink of the dress with surrounding shadows, allowing the princess’s face to emerge with gentle clarity. The handling of light and shade creates a subtle chiaroscuro effect, giving the composition a delicate luminosity characteristic of Impressionist influences.
History & Provenance
Created in 1875, the portrait entered the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s broader effort to represent 19th‑century European portraiture within its Russian imperial collections.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Baptiste Marie Fouque (July 2, 1819 – April 11, 1880), also anglicised as Jean Marius Fouque or Marius Fouque, was a French painter specialising in portraits and mythological subjects.
