Scuola Italiana (XIX), da Abraham Constantin - La Fornarina

Italian School of the 19th century

“La Fornarina”

Copy by Abraham Constantin (1785–1855)

Portrait of a young woman with pearls and fur
First half / mid-19th century
Oil on canvas

Frame: Important neoclassical wooden carved and gilded frame, with continuous palm-leaf and foliate motifs; 19th century.

Measurements: 51 x 44 cm in the contemporaneous frame
36 x 28.5 cm canvas

Description

The painting depicts a half-length young woman, slightly turned relative to the observer and characterized by a composed expression and a delicately smiling mouth. The face, oval in shape, emerges luminously from the dark background, in a construction deliberately inspired by Renaissance portraiture.

The young woman wears a light dress with a wide square neckline, bordered in black and adorned with fine gold decorations. A light-blue–gray bodice envelops the left arm, while on the opposite side an element in brown fur appears, held by the hand. The hairstyle is particularly refined: dark hair is gathered and ornamented with numerous pearls, reflected by the small dangling earrings.

The nearly uniform background concentrates attention entirely on the figure and gives the portrait that suspended and idealized quality typical of nineteenth-century reinterpretations of Renaissance painting.

Style and period

The work presents a neoclassical and neo-Renaissance language, with evident interest in Raphael and in Italian Renaissance portraiture of the 16th century. The regular drawing of the face, the smooth flesh tones, the controlled elegance of the pose, and the careful description of the pearls are perfectly consistent with the taste developed in the early decades of the 19th century.

The connection with Constantin is particularly interesting because his activity was closely linked to the reproduction of major Renaissance masters. It is documented, for example, his Portrait of Raphael of 1823, while his Fornarina of the same year is preserved at the Galleria Sabauda.

Condition report

The painting presents in a discreet state of general conservation, with aging phenomena consistent with an 19th-century work. The pictorial surface shows widespread, fairly regular craquelure, particularly evident on the face, the décolleté flesh, and in the lighter areas. Some surface inhomogeneities, abrasions, and small signs of wear are also observable.

Photographs of the verso show that the canvas is currently mounted on a wooden stretcher and inserted into a broader frame structure. Strips of canvas have been applied to the back along the sides, likely attributable to previous consolidation or adaptation interventions. The photographic documentation, however, does not allow a definite determination of whether the canvas has been fully re-stretched.

The frame, particularly interesting, is in carved and gilded wood, characterized by a sequence of palmette/stylized leaf elements in a neoclassical taste. It shows widespread abrasions, oxidation and changes of the gilding, small laminations and cracks at the angular joints, without any severe structural damage evident from the photographs.

*** Note on photographs

Some of the photographs accompanying this card were professionally produced with controlled artificial lighting, using a studio spotlight, to ensure better legibility of the work and to allow a more precise observation of the surface, figurative details, and color.

Note on the frame:

The frame is supplied with the work as a courtesy gift and is not part of the sale. Any imperfections, missing parts, or damages to the frame, including those resulting from transport, cannot constitute grounds for dispute or compensation related to the work.

- Certificate of lawful provenance and Expertise
- Insured shipping and electronic invoicing