Wonderful French Old Master oil on canvas painting portrait of a lady with a dog by Donatien Nonnotte signed and dated 1760.

D. Nonotte was the pupil and student emeritus of François Lemoyne and he taught François-Hubert Drouais.

Our portrait is above all striking with realism and combines the charms of color with the grace of the brush. Nonnotte has indeed been very careful to accurately capture his color palette and put them in the movement that are suitable for the expression of our portrait. They thus contribute to evoke the feelings of the soul and serve to bring out the qualities of the woman's temperaments, by giving life to our painting and by provoking the most seductive illusions.

The grace and delicacy of this young woman here is represented by pastel tones and soft colors. This sophisticated portrait abounds with ingenious flourishes and demonstrations of the painter's skill and is a fine representation of female beauty which is striking in its portrayal of the sumptuous fabrics and their decorative richness. The pictorial mastery of Nonnotte associated with his great talent as a colorist are such that our lady displays a real presence.

This exquisite painting depicts a young noble woman elegantly dresses with a dusty blue silk damask dress with white flowers patterns and laces trim on the sleeves. Her hair and corsage are adorned with adorable colored flowers, a black ribbon around the neck and a precious bracelet of rubies and pearls complete the graceful pose of the female figure. The lady is depicted half-length, one hand near her chest with her index finger raised and the other hand holding a pink ribbon that also encircles the neck of her little black puppy. The female figure is almost certainly the commissioner of the painting because her gaze - with languid blue eyes- looks directly at the viewer.

The young unknown portrait shows the talent of the artist: the quality of glazed face, the sumptuous costume, the light in the beads, the necklace, the adornment in her hair; all attest of the prosperity. Great attention is paid to her luxurious apparel softened by the the tender pose and the serene face in a superbly effective harmony that brings out the dignity , the inner characteristics and psychological aspects as well as the beauty of the model. The graceful pose, rich details and brilliant technique are distinctive features of this portrait and it was a type that was in great demand during the 18th century all-over Europe.

This 18th Century oil on canvas female portrait is housed in an antique giltwood and stucco frame hand carved with acanthus leaves and enriched with floral and beaded details. Signed and dated top left 'Nonnotte. pinx.1760' to mention that "Donatien Nonnotte painted" this work, the name of the painter and the date are shown also on a plate applied at the bottom of the frame.

Dimension: H. 70, W. 57, D.4 cm framed - H. 54 x W.42 cm unframed canvas

Please note: Exportation papers already issued by Belle Arti Italian Office. Ready to be shipped worldwide.

Painter’s Biographical Notes:

Donatien Nonnotte (Besançon 1708- Lyon 1785) -also known as Donat Nonotte- brother of Claude-Adrien Nonnotte philosopher, writer and Jesuit controversialist, best known for his writings against Voltaire. D. Nonotte was the pupil and student emeritus of François Lemoyne with whom he collaborated for extremely important works of art such as The Salon d'Hercule (also known as the Hercules Salon or the Hercules Drawing Room) is on the first floor of the Château de Versailles. Nonnotte was received by the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in 1741 as a portrait painter. In 1754, he moved to Lyon, where he obtained the title of "official painter" of the town in 1762.[2] Most notably, he taught François-Hubert Drouais.

Source: E. Benezit, tome 10, Ed. 1999, p.267.