Young Lady in Pink Dress
Pierre Ursin Tixier de Ladouce
Like Chabanne and Machéra in Lyon, Dagoty in Bordeaux and Delacluze in Rouen, Tixier worked in Tours in the early 19th century meeting the demand for high-quality portrait miniatures. Working in provincial areas differed from working in Paris in that there were fewer clients and the artist had less freedom to come up with original designs. The generally appreciated portrait was a combination of solid craftsmanship, tried-and-tested poses, and realistic depiction.
According to the inscriptions on his works Tixier painted miniatures between 1814 and 1830 and worked in Tours from 1823 onwards. This portrait of a lady is one of his last known works and was painted in the traditional French miniature technique. The delicate brushstrokes in the lady’s face and the precise modelling of her curls indicate Tixier’s teacher Augustin. Tixier began his studies on 8 April, 1817 and lived in the Rue de Cléry no. 26 during his apprenticeship.1
B. P.