The Marquesa de Pinar del Rio 1924

Giovanni Boldini captured the Marquesa de Pinar del Rio in 1924 with striking confidence using oil on canvas. The shadowy charcoal greys of the background contrast with the bright whites and pinks of the Marquesa’s fan. I can imagine Boldini, brush in hand, circling the canvas, building up layers of thin glazes. Did he struggle with the folds of the dress or did the Marquesa ever shift in her pose? The long beaded necklace that cascades down her body shimmers against the black fabric. See how the paint is applied so thinly, almost like a wash, allowing the texture of the canvas to peek through? The pinks in the fan are echoed in the rouge on her cheeks, a flash of color amidst the monochrome palette. Painters like Manet were also interested in capturing the likeness of fashionable women of the time. There is a dialogue between them, the way they capture a sense of fleeting beauty. These artists keep the conversation of painting alive, connecting us to different ways of seeing and feeling.