Lady with Small Bouquet of Gentians

This work by Hallé is not signed either, but can be attributed to him by its characteristic painting style. The clothing proves the sitter to be an actress: conscious of the impact of her dress, she wears it richly embellished with stones and pearls.¹ Strands of pearls adorn her arms and her hair as well. A glossy silk sash is draped over her shoulders. Ancient heroines were dressed in this way on the stage. In real life such an ostentatious display of luxury would not have been advisable during the revolutionary years.

Nicolas Hallé, whose real name was Allais, could not be identified until 2025.² He gained a dubious notoriety in the late 19th century from the publication of his wife’s divorce petition.³ In 1782 the artist married the native-born German Barbe Rommel, who brought a considerable fortune to the marriage. He had won her heart, according to her statements, on the one hand by his outward appearance and on the other hand by the pretence of an allegedly high income. Soon after the bride realised she had been tricked: her husband gambled her money away, maintained an affair with a dancer at her expense and even attacked her physically. In addition to the couple’s dispute, the police records contained some biographical details about the artist. In the early 1780s he worked repeatedly in Brest.In Paris the couple lived in the Rue Richelieu in the artists’ quarter, and later Hallé moved into an apartment in the Rue Niçaise.

B. P.