Read the visual description
The image depicts an older woman from the waist up, seated at a slight angle facing the left and looking directly at the viewer. She has soft facial features with subtle wrinkles, light-colored eyes, and a gentle expression. Her gray hair is mostly covered by a lace cap with ribbons. She is wearing a richly decorated garment with layers of lace, patterned fabric, and a large bow at the neckline, featuring embroidered details. The background has a muted gradient of blues and browns.
National Gallery of Art · Drawing
An Elderly Lady in a Mauve Silk Dress
Claude Bornet
- Date
- 1767
- Medium
- pastel on laid paper
- Dimensions
- overall (oval): 61.4 x 51.2 cm (24 3/16 x 20 3/16 in.)
- Classification
- Drawing
- Accession number
- 2001.21.1
- Credit line
- Gift of Helen Porter and James T. Dyke
- Time span
- 1751 to 1775
- Department
- CG-E
Subjects and terms
- French
- Seated figure
- Woman
- Rococo
- Portrait
Provenance
Mme. Thalmann, by 1927;[1] Private collection, France, then by descent to a nephew from c. 1950 until 1999; (Artemis SA Luxembourg Succursale de Geneve, Switzerland); purchased 2001 by NGA. [1] See provenance information in _Quentin de la Tour et des Pastellistes Francaises des XVIIe et XVIIIe Siècles en l'Hôtel Jean Charpentier_. Hôtel Jean Charpentier, Paris, 1927, no. 115 (Emile Dacier and P. Ratouis de Limay). Claim file at National Archives has been checked. This drawing does not appear to be among those taken by the ERR from Thalmann.
Inscription
by the artist, lower right in graphite: Bornet fecit / 1767
NGA object ID 112852. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.