Portrait de la comtesse de Ranchicourt partant pour la chasse à courre

Executed in oil, Chassériau employs layered glazing to achieve a luminous depth, allowing the dark fabric to recede against the brighter stairwell and sky. The handling of light and the expressive brushwork reflect the Romantic shift he embraced after his early Neoclassical training, hinting at the influence of contemporaries such as Delacroix.

Created in 1854, the portrait entered the collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in 19th‑century French painting and provides a representative example of Chassériau’s portraiture within his broader oeuvre.

At the time of its execution, Chassériau was transitioning from the strict academicism of his mentor Ingres toward a more emotive Romantic language. This painting, alongside his historical, religious, and Orientalist subjects, illustrates his versatility and his engagement with the cultural fascination for aristocratic leisure activities that permeated mid‑century French society.