Lady in Black Dress with White Bonnet

The sitter is wearing a lace bonnet and a black cape the lace trimmings of which are held together by a brooch with a portrait miniature possibly showing the lady's daughter. The lady is seated on a red armchair in front of a cloudy sky. Rodolphe Bel came to Paris in circa 1822. Although his works resemble those of his teacher Isabey this portrait gives a more compact and clear impression than Isabey's watercolour portraits on paper. The naturalism of the picture is underlined by the restricted colour palette.

D. O.