Lady in White Dress

Louis-Ami Arlaud-Jurine counts as one of the best miniaturists of Geneva. He pursued his artistic studies probably with Liotard, who not only instructed him in miniature but in oil and pastel painting as well. To polish his expertise even further the artist came to Paris to the studio of Vien. Hardly any other artist drew with the assurance of Arlaud or had such a delicate sense of colour harmony. He painted with a broad brushstroke, which under the magnifying glass creates the impression that miniature painting obviously came to him effortlessly.

The portrayal of the young lady with her powdered curly wig admittedly bears the signature “HFriedrich Füger”, but was evidently not created by the Viennese virtuoso. It was painted at the beginning of the 1790s, before Arlaud moved to London. The portrait shows the sitter in a completely calm posture and with a dreamy expression. The slightly cloudy sky, blending into a soft pink at the horizon, matches the sentimental depiction. To the left a weather-crooked tree trunk is visible and, in the distance to the right, some pale treetops.

Arlaud is one of the few artists who put their tricks regarding painting technique down in writing. The artist made the entries between 1815 and 1828, exclusively for his own benefit. The notebook contains 124 pages and today constitutes an important source for knowledge of the materials and production methods of miniatures.

B. P.