Women's Studies, Attributed To Giovanni Boldini (1842–1931)

Attributed to Giovanni Boldini (1842–1931)
Studies of Women: Cabaret Dancers, Horsewoman, and Female Profiles
Circa 1900

Ink wash and brown wash on paper,
28.5 x 19.5 cm

Important Regence frame

Provenance:
Private collection

This lively and elegant sheet brings together several studies of female figures, executed with remarkable freedom of gesture and great confidence in the handling of wash. Through its nervous style, lightness, and virtuosity of line, it powerfully evokes the art of Giovanni Boldini, an emblematic figure of high-society portraiture during the Belle Époque. Although unsigned, certain stylistic elements cautiously suggest that it could be a drawing by his hand.

The female figures, sometimes shown in bust, sometimes full-length, reflect a particular sensitivity to the movement of fabrics, effects of light, and the natural grace of poses. The treatment of the face, the floral hairstyles, and the lively attitudes are all characteristics found in Boldini’s compositions devoted to the fashionable women of his time.

The appearance, in the lower part of the sheet, of a horse and a lightly dressed horsewoman introduces a romantic, even allegorical, touch, not unfamiliar in some of the artist’s lesser-known drawings or paintings. The fluidly controlled wash brings the forms to life through a subtle play of values and shadows, giving the composition an atmosphere that is both airy and expressive.

Situated at the crossroads between sketch and finished work, this sheet stands as a rare and captivating example of the graphic art associated with Boldini and his circle. It fits perfectly within the refined aesthetic of the late 19th century, alongside Paul-César Helleu, James Tissot, and Alfred Stevens. The quality of the drawing, combined with the handwritten attribution in the margin (“Boldini”), strengthens the hypothesis of an autograph work, or at least one very close to the master.