Portrait of a woman

The pastel on paper, made in Milan in 1912 by Antonio Ambrogio Alciati as evidenced by the signature on the bottom center, portrays a young woman with a wide-brimmed hat. The pale complexion of the face contrasts with the black of the hat enriched with golden feathers and stands out against the red and purple hues of the shawl and the flowers in the background. The female figure, built with a clear constructive rigor, shows a lively chromatism that reveals a wise use of colors and an easy impressionistic drafting.