Portrait de Marguerite Decazes de Glucksbierg, princesse Jean de Broglie 1905 - 1914

Jacques-Émile Blanche painted this portrait of Marguerite Decazes de Glucksbierg, Princesse Jean de Broglie, with what looks like a loaded brush and a real sense of urgency. The whole thing is worked up in these thick, juicy marks, especially around the face and hands. Look at the way he’s modeled her dress, all those quick strokes of dark paint suggesting folds and shadows. You can almost feel the weight of the fabric. There’s something kind of delicious about the way the colors blend together, creating this moody atmosphere. I’m drawn to the way Blanche handles the background, how the loose brushwork creates this sense of depth and texture, almost like a tapestry. It reminds me a bit of Manet, with that same emphasis on the materiality of paint and the way it can create a world of its own. It’s a reminder that painting is not just about representation, but about the act of making itself.