Artwork
Mme. Dufresne
Mme. Dufresne is an unspecified painting by the French Romanticist artist Pierre Paul Prud'hon. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Mme.
About this work
Overview
Mme. Dufresne is a preparatory sketch for a lost full-length portrait, capturing its subject in a casual, landscape setting with crossed legs and a relaxed pose.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is likely the wife of an art dealer. The composition, initially conceived for Empress Josephine, features a gentle, slightly wistful expression, characteristic of Prud'hon's empathetic portrayal of melancholy.
Technique & Style
Executed with a rough surface, the sketch showcases Prud'hon's skill in conveying emotional depth. Its soft, blended forms may relate to sfumato techniques, influenced by his Neoclassical training in Rome.
History & Provenance
Created after Prud'hon's 1789 Prix de Rome award, this work reflects his post-Rome style. Although the full-length portrait is lost, early auction records confirm the sketch's original purpose.
Context
Prud'hon's popularity with Napoleon's circle, including his role as Josephine's drawing instructor, contextualizes the sketch within the artistic and political elite of early 19th-century France.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (French pronunciation: , 4 April 1758 – 16 February 16, 1823) was a French Neo-classical painter and draughtsman best known in his own time for his allegorical paintings and portraits, now for his drawings.
Juliette Récamier (1777-1849)
Sophie Guillemette, Grand Duchess of Baden (1801-1865)
A Young Woman Leaning on the Edge of a Window
Young Woman Seated
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman Near a Balustrade
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman Near a Balustrade
Soția lui Simon Schreiber
Portrait of a woman with a veil
Woman in Front of a Fireplace