Portrait of Cecile Furtado-Heine @ Christie’s Paris, 15 April 2013 (cat. no. H 16)

Hermann Winterhalter

H 16: Mme Cécile Furtado-Heine (1821-1896), née Furtado

 Oil on canvas, 137.5 x 99.5 cm

Signed lower left: H. Winterhalter

Private Collection

Christie’s Paris is featuring in their Tableaux Anciens et du XIXe siècle sale in Paris, on 15 April 2013, lot 61, arguably one of the most important works by Hermann Winterhalter, Portrait of Mme Cécile Furtado-Heine (1821-1896), née Furtado.

Mme Furtado-Heine is depicted standing three-quarter-length to the left, against a neutrally coloured background, facing the viewer. Her hair is parted in the middle and arranged in ringlets on the sides. She is wearing an evening black and white silk and taffeta dress decorated with a black silk bow and a pearl brooch with a drop pearl pendant at her corsage. A pelt of brown fur (possibly of sable), is covering her arms.

The portrait is considered among Hermann Winterhalter’s finest: in the foreword to the Winterhalter Exhibition in 1928, Armad Dayot wrote: “Sa clientèle de modèles n’atteignit pas à la hauteur hiérarchique de celle de son frère, mais il trouva parfois cependant de flatteuses occasions d’exercer avec succès son réel talent de peintre de la figure, comme dans l’exécution des beaux portraits d’Amaury Duval et de Mme Furtado, pour ne citer que deux de ses meilleures peintures… L’une des toiles plus réussies de l’œuvre iconographique d’Hermann, le portrait de Mme Furtado, … d’une belle générosité d’exécution…”

This important work of institutional quality and significance is estimated at € 30,000-50,000. Should it reach these estimates, it will be the second highest price ever achieved for a work by Hermann Winterhalter on the art market.

http://www.christies.com/

© Eugene Barilo von Reisberg, 2013

Portrait of a Lady @ Beaussant-Lefèvre, 5 April 2013 (cat. no. H 123)

Hermann Winterhalter

H 123. Portrait of a Lady, 1857, Paris

Oil on canvas, 115.0 x 89.0 cm

Signed, dated and inscribed lower centre left: H. Winterhalter / Paris / 1857

Private Collection

While we are on the subject of Hermann Winterhalter, two important portraits by the artist are coming up for sale in Paris.

Beaussant-Lefèvre, in their Importants Tableaux Anciens, Objets d’Art et de Bel Ameublement, on 5 April 2013, lot 49, have Hermann Winterhalter’s Portrait of a Lady, which is signed, and especially rare for Hermann Winterhalter, it is also sited and dated as painted in Paris in 1857.

The portrait depicts a lady, standing, three-quarter-length to the right, facing the viewer, hair parted in the middle with lace lappets descending to her neck and shoulders; wearing a black silk dress overlaid with black lace and matching shawl; hands crossed over below waist; with roses in her corsage and holding a fan in her left hand; the background is neutral with imitation of a skyscape.

At the time of writing, earlier provenance and the identity of the sitter remain unknown.

The portrait is modestly estimated at € 4,000-6,000. It has been on the market a few times before, so hopefully this rare signed and dated work would find a more permanent home this time round.

© Eugene Barilo von Reisberg, 2013