Portrait Of A Lady Analysis

Analysis of the Portrait of a Lady The Portrait of a Lady by Marie-Guillemine Benoist is shown at the San Diego Museum of Art. The painting once attributed to Jacques-Louis David and Vigee-Lebrun. However, was recently attributed to Marie-Guillemine Benoist. Although little known today, she was one of a number of prominent women artists working in Paris in the late 18th century. She studied with David and Lebrun(San Diego, CA: San Diego Museum of Art, 2015), so it is reasonable that traits from three artists can be found in this artwork. “David was considered to be the principal proponent of the Neoclassical style”("Jacques-Louis David Biography."), and “Vigee-Lebrun is also associated with Neoclassical art”("Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun (1755-1842)”). Therefore, it is assumed that the Portrait of a Lady by Benoist is a neoclassical style painting. …show more content…
The lady is the only figure on the canvas, and there is no background other than solid gray wall with rough texture. The background somewhat reminds people of the wall in The Death of Marat by David(Woods), and that might be the reason that it was once thought to be his work. The gesture of the figure leads the viewer to the left upper body and the figure’s eyes. Her left arm is holding the shawl that is wrapped her right shoulder and left waist, which created a circular shape. The bright spot and the knot of her dress on her left shoulder draws the attention. Her eyes, however, are looking to the left, and leads viewer to somewhere in distance outside the canvas. This composition may be leading people’s attention away from her right arm, which is on her side holding the shawl in an unnatural way. Her facial expression is rational and emotionless. Since the neoclassical style celebrates the ideas from ancient Greece and Rome(Irwin), such expression probably takes roots in the rational sculptures from these periods. The gesture overall, may be referring to Greek sculpture as