École orientaliste européenne (XIX-XX) - La jeune femme aux longs cheveux - NO RESERVE

European School, 19th-20th century
Young Orientalist arranging her hair

Oil on canvas
Signature illegible in the lower right part

Elegant oil-on-canvas composition, work by an author belonging to the European school of the 19th century. The painting depicts a young woman with long dark hair, shown three-quarters length as she raises both arms to gather or adjust her hair.

The figure is dressed in attire inspired by the East, consisting of a green garment open and enriched with broad reddish bands, beneath which a light garment can be distinguished. The contrast between the intense greens, warm reds, and the luminous tones of the flesh gives the whole a notable chromatic richness.

The model’s posture, with arms raised and hair falling broadly over the torso, introduces movement and a marked sensuality, though treated from an elegant and restrained perspective. Her gaze is directed upward, generating a dreamy and slightly absorbed expression that accentuates the intimate character of the scene.

From a stylistic point of view, the work relates to European Orientalism of the 19th century, a current that showed particular interest in exotic costumes, idealized interiors, female figures and scenes inspired by North Africa, the Near East, and the Mediterranean world. It is not necessarily a precise ethnographic representation, but an idealized and decorative vision in line with the European taste of the period.

Influences of Academic painting and late Romanticism can also be discerned, especially in the careful modeling of the face, the treatment of the flesh tones, and the balanced construction of the figure. The execution combines a more blended brushwork on the face and arms with a freer, impasted brushwork on the background, the clothing, and certain areas of the hair.

The color range is dominated by greens, reds, ochres, and earth tones, harmonized with a light greenish-golden background. This background is resolved with broad, visible brushstrokes, contributing to highlight the young woman’s silhouette and reinforcing the decorative character of the painting.

The work stands out for the quality of the portrait, the expressiveness of the pose, and the careful treatment of the long tresses, illuminated with coppery and reddish highlights. The result is a composition of strong visual presence, linked to the tradition of Orientalist and salon female scenes developed in Europe during the second half of the 19th century.

In the lower right part there is a signature, although its reading is illegible.

Conservation status

The work shows normal signs of age and use, including craquelure, surface dirt, wear, small abrasions, possible losses of pictorial material, and old restorations or reintegrations.

It is recommended to examine all photographs carefully, as they are an essential part of the description and allow appreciating the actual conservation state.

The frame is sent as a gift, with no commercial value. It shows signs of age and use, with possible abrasions, chips, small losses of gilding, cracks, restorations or defects. The frame’s condition will not be a ground for complaint.

The work will be carefully packed to ensure proper protection during transport.

Customs duties, tariffs, import taxes, handling fees and any other charges required in the destination country will be the sole responsibility of the buyer. The shipment may incur additional surcharges in those countries that require customs procedures or special import management. The seller is not responsible for possible delays, seizures, or incidents arising from customs procedures.