Lady in a dark blue dress

Like all the other works by Benjamin Arlaud in the Tansey Collection, this miniature is not signed. However, the rendering of the facial features, coupled with the colouring, allow us to be fairly certain that it was painted by this artist. A surprisingly similar portrait can be found under inv. no. 10008. The lady’s pose and the gaze are very much the same in both miniatures. The brilliant blue of the dress, for which Arlaud probably used ultramarine, is also identical. Here, however, the distant expression is lightened up by a friendly smile. 

Benjamin Arlaud rarely signed his works, and when he did so it was on the back of the miniature. However, his works are easily distinguished from those of other artists owing to his personal style. Strongly curving lips, marked corners of the mouth, bulging eyes and standardised poses are just some of the features characteristic of his portraits. In addition, they have noticeable shades of green in the shadows of the flesh parts. In some of his works, they show through especially strongly today due to the fading of light-sensitive red pigments. The artist appears to have used several pigments that have lost their intensity with time, which has greatly altered the appearance of the pieces. The two ladies’ portraits in the Tansey Collection are, however, examples of works whose colours have remained particularly fresh. 

B. P.