Hayez, Francesco Lot n° 214

Charcoal on paper The work is a clear example of the Master's female portraiture: the cloudy, slightly distant eyes, the faces hinting at a smile, suggest to us the aspiration for an immortal femme. Here are the hands aristocratically resting vividly on the clothes and composed, as is often the case, around an object (in this case a letter or handkerchief). To embellish the design, we note the detail of the beautiful swan necks as supports for the arms of the chair. The surname of the maiden portrayed has not yet been deciphered, unfortunately. Within cornic Provenance : Christie's Rome, May 27, 1987, lot 278.