A Lady in White
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Oil portrait of a woman showing head, shoulders and chest. The woman faces slightly to the left in three-quarter profile. She wears her hair up, decorated with a diamond-shaped piece of jewellery set with square dark red stones and pearls; a pearl or crystal drop earring; an elaborate lace ruff; a white dress with a padded partlet and puffed sleeves; and a three string pearl necklace, with four strings depending from a central white bow. Her face and hair are pale, suggesting they are powdered.
The distinctive hair-style worn by this French noblewoman helps to date this portrait to the first decade of the 16th century. The style of the work indicates that it is by a painter working in the manner instigated by François Clouet (c. 1516-1572). Similarities with portraits by Etienne Dumonstier (c. 1540-1603) and François Quesnel (1543-1619) suggest it was made by a painter closely linked to the French court.
Hair piled high, almost to a point, and often decorated with a jewel, was briefly fashionable between 1600 and 1610. The style of the hair and pearl necklace are similar to those in a portrait of an unknown woman, formerly thought to be Diane d'Andouins, Comtesse de Gramont that has been attributed to Etienne Dumonstier (musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, MV 3295). The hair, ruff, and multi-string pearl necklace is also very similar to that worn by Marie de' Medici in a portrait by François Quesnel made around 1600, recorded in Thomas de Leu's engraving (musée national du château de Pau inv. no. P.955). The beautiful Marie came to France in 1600 as the wife of Henri IV. The sitter in the Waddesdon portrait may have been a young lady at the French court eager to copy the fashions embraced by the new Queen.
François Clouet is best known for his elegant though realistic drawings of the French Royal family. He also had a large workshop to meet demand for his painted portraits of the French nobility. His followers included some of the most renowned painters of the day including members of the Dumonstier family. The Queen Mother, Catherine de' Medici (1519-1589) was a great admirer of Clouet's work, but also patronised Etienne Dumonstier and François Quesnel. Etienne appears to have been close to her, including carrying out a diplomatic mission for her to Vienna around 1570. He was trained by his father and possibly also by Clouet. Etienne worked for Henry II, Catherine de' Medici and the last Valois kings, and later for Henry IV. Only a few works are attributed to him, but he must have painted more. Quesnel went on to paint portraits of Henri IV and Marie de' Medici, both known through engravings by Thomas de Leu.
Phillippa Plock, 2012
Dimensions (mm) / weight (mg)
360 x 273 - sight
Signature & date
not signed or dated
Provenance
- Acquired by Alice de Rothschild (b.1847, d.1922); inherited by her great-nephew James de Rothschild (b.1878, d.1957); accepted by The Treasury Solicitor in lieu of taxes on the Estate of Mr James de Rothschild in 1963; given to Waddesdon (National Trust) in 1990.
Collection
- Waddesdon (National Trust)
- Accepted by HM Government in lieu of inheritance tax and allocated to the National Trust for display at Waddesdon Manor, 1990
Bibliography
- Ellis Waterhouse, Anthony Blunt; Paintings: The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor; Fribourg; Office du Livre, The National Trust; 1967; pp. 292-293, cat. no. 139, ill; dated c. 1610