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Portrait of a Young Lady in Profile

Henri-Pierre Danlouxabout 1783–1785

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

Taking advantage of the medium's unsurpassed ability to capture spontaneity, Henri-Pierre Danloux caught the youth and vivacity of his young, unknown sitter with great freedom and expressiveness. Smiling with parted lips, the young woman exhibits her elegant profile and bright eyes. An exuberant, soft mane of hair; a wide wreath of a stiffened, ruffled collar; and a lively striped sleeve and bodice surround her smooth, meticulously finished and delicately modeled face. An artfully disarrayed ribbon catches the rich black chalk curlicues of hair. Interspersed with the brilliant white paper, the softly modulated applications of gray wash underneath the hair and costume create a sense of glowing from within her young, clear skin.

Danloux was as interested in capturing the young woman's inner world of thought and feeling as he was in representing her outward appearance. Her intense forward gaze hints at a strong personality. He may have made this portrait as one of a series of family portraits.

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  • Title: Portrait of a Young Lady in Profile
  • Creator: Henri-Pierre Danloux
  • Date Created: about 1783–1785
  • Location Created: France
  • Physical Dimensions: 23.7 × 20.5 cm (9 5/16 × 8 1/16 in.)
  • Type: Drawing
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Black chalk and gray wash
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 96.GB.21
  • Culture: French
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
  • Creator Display Name: Henri-Pierre Danloux (French, 1753 - 1809)
  • Classification: Drawings (Visual Works)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

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