Lady in a Park with an Obelisk

This portrait of a lady also demonstrates the unmistakable hand of Jean-Baptiste Soyer. The sitter’s facial physiognomy and expression are almost as reliable as a signature when it comes to indicators for attributing a work. The artist painted several ladies in a three-quarter view, showing them seated in front of a park landscape. The portraits show the models with both hands, sometimes with a letter, sometimes holding a book. In the background, Soyer created a romantic park with pseudo-antique buildings, such as small temples, fountains or, as in this piece, obelisks.¹ 

The lady with short, curled hair posed on an armchair in the artist’s studio. However, in the finished picture, the room has been replaced by a sweeping park, and the armrest has become a grassy mound. A small rose bush behind the lady’s back expresses her intimate feelings for the observer. In classicism, obelisks were erected to commemorate significant events. The one in this portrait may also remind the viewer of a special moment which was especially important to both him and the lady. In the context of love, it cannot be ruled out that the monument also had an erotic meaning. 

B. P.