Who painted Portrait of a Young Horsewoman?

Portrait of a Young Horsewoman was painted by Charles David in 1839.

Where can I see Portrait of a Young Horsewoman?

Portrait of a Young Horsewoman is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Young Horsewoman?

Portrait of a Young Horsewoman is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Young Horsewoman?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Young Horsewoman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Portrait of a Young Horsewoman by Charles David (1839)

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right on parapet: 1839 / CHARLES DAVID

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows a young woman mounted on a horse, rendered in a manner that emphasizes poise and refinement.

The painting shows a young woman mounted on a horse, rendered in a manner that emphasizes poise and refinement. Her attire and the presence of the animal serve as symbols of social standing and youthful accomplishment, reflecting the values of the French aristocracy in the early 19th century. The work belongs to the portrait genre and was created by Charles David in 1839, combining oil paint and canvas to achieve a realistic yet idealized representation of the sitter.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 74.3 cm in height by 60.5 cm in width. It portrays a young woman mounted on a horse, rendered with a restrained palette and soft brushwork that emphasizes the sitter's poise and the delicate rendering of fabric and flesh. The composition balances a luminous background with a sharply observed foreground, creating a sense of immediacy. The surface remains well preserved, showing only minor craquelure typical of age.

History & Provenance

Portrait of a Young Horsewoman, painted by Charles David in 1839, depicts a young woman mounted on a horse. The work remained in the family of Jacques-Victor, comte de la Béraudière, at his château de Bouzille near Angers, France, before passing to his son and subsequently to his widow, Marie-Thérèse, comtesse de la Béraudière, in Paris. She sold the painting through the American Art Association in New York in December 1930, after which it was acquired by Chester Dale on behalf of H.E. Russell.

Dale later bequeathed the piece to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains in the collection.

The canvas measures 74.3 centimeters in height and 60.5 centimeters in width, confirming its substantial dimensions for a 19th-century portrait. Its provenance is well documented from its creation in 1839 through successive inheritances and sales, culminating in its donation to the National Gallery of Art in 1963.

The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the museum's holdings in 1963 as a bequest from Chester Dale, who had acquired the work in New York during December 1930. Prior to Dale's ownership, the portrait was part of the collection of the comte de la Béraudière at the château de Bouzille near Angers, France, before being sold at the American Art Association in New York. The artwork was created by Charles David in 1839 and is cataloged as an oil on canvas portrait.

Legacy

The painting has come to be recognized as a representative example of early 19th‑century French portraiture, particularly within the corpus of works by Charles David that explore youthful subjects in equestrian settings. Its provenance from the de la Béraudière family and subsequent sale at the American Art Association in 1930, followed by acquisition by Chester Dale and bequest to the National Gallery of Art, has contributed to its documented exhibition history and scholarly attention. The work is presently part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C., where it is studied alongside other portraits by the artist to illustrate the development of portrait conventions in pre‑Revolutionary France.

Overview

Charles David’s 1839 oil on canvas, Portrait of a Young Horsewoman, presents a solitary figure seated on a low wall. The subject is a youth dressed in a red velvet jacket with a white collar, black trousers, and a black hat placed nearby. The figure holds a riding crop, hinting at an equestrian connection, against a backdrop of rolling hills and a clear blue sky.

Context

The piece aligns with Romantic era interests in individual expression and the idealisation of youthful vigor. Equestrian themes were popular, symbolising freedom and aristocratic leisure, and the painting’s serene rural setting reinforces these cultural motifs.