Artwork
A Lady Seen in Profile, Holding a Fan
A Lady Seen in Profile, Holding a Fan is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Luca Carlevarijs. It dates from 1705 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Luca Carlevarijs, an early‑18th‑century Venetian painter, produced the oil work *A Lady Seen in Profile, Holding a Fan* in 1705. The canvas presents a solitary female figure rendered in half‑length, set against a muted brown backdrop. The painting is presently held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on a woman turned toward her right, her profile highlighted by a delicate white shawl draped over her left shoulder. She wears a dark, floor‑length dress, a modest headpiece, and holds an open fan whose ornamental surface is visible. The restrained pose and accessories suggest a genteel, perhaps domestic, moment rather than a narrative scene.
Technique & Style
Carlevarijs employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, using subtle contrasts of light and shadow to give the face and fan a three‑dimensional presence. The palette is limited, dominated by deep hues and a warm brown ground, while the brushwork remains smooth, emphasizing the refined texture of the fabrics and the intricate fan design.
History & Provenance
Created during the early Baroque period in Venice, the painting reflects Carlevarijs’s broader interest in genre scenes alongside his more celebrated cityscapes. Though primarily known for pioneering Venetian vedute that later inspired Canaletto and Guardi, this portrait entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of their European paintings collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Carlevarijs or Carlevaris (20 January 1663 – 12 February 1730) was an Italian painter and engraver working mainly in Venice.
