Who painted Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman was painted by Frédéric Dubois in 1793-09-22.

Where can I see Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is associated with Neoclassicism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Woman?

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

Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Frédéric Dubois , 1793

Portrait of a Woman is an ivory painting by the Neoclassicist artist Frédéric Dubois. It dates from 1793 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

As a painting rather than a drawing or print, the artist applied pigments directly to the prepared ivory panel.

Executed in 1793 by Frédéric Dubois, this work is a portrait miniature painted on an ivory support. The classification as a miniature indicates a small scale and likely fine, detailed brushwork characteristic of the genre, utilizing the smooth, luminous surface of the ivory to achieve subtle tonal variations in the depiction of the female subject. As a painting rather than a drawing or print, the artist applied pigments directly to the prepared ivory panel.

The piece is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been featured in exhibitions focusing on European miniatures, highlighting its technical execution within the late eighteenth-century tradition of portable portraiture.

History & Provenance

Created in 1793 by the artist Frédéric Dubois, this ivory miniature portrait depicts a woman. The work was completed on September 22, 1793. While specific details regarding the original commission or early ownership history are not provided in the available records, the piece entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the bequest of Millie Bruhl Fredrick.

The artwork has since been featured in exhibitions such as 'European Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art' and 'In Miniature,' solidifying its place within the museum's holdings of European miniature paintings.

Portrait of a Woman, painted by Frédéric Dubois in 1793 on ivory, is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York. The museum lists the work as part of the Millie Bruhl Fredrick collection, though it does not publish a specific accession or inventory number. The painting has been included in the exhibition "European Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, In Miniature," which highlighted miniature portrait traditions.

Its provenance is tied to the Met's holdings, and the work is classified as a portrait miniature within the museum's decorative arts department.

Context

Frédéric Dubois created this ivory portrait miniature in 1793, a work classified as a painting and portrait within the French tradition of miniature portraiture. The piece, held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the late‑18th‑century practice of rendering sitters in delicate ivory support, a genre documented in both scholarly catalogues and museum records. Its inclusion in the European Miniatures exhibition at the Met underscores its relevance to the study of French portrait miniatures and their role in the broader narrative of European art history.

The work’s provenance, material, and stylistic features have been cited in art‑historical literature as representative of the period’s technical and aesthetic concerns.

Overview

This artwork, titled Portrait of a Woman, was created by Frédéric Dubois in 1793. Executed as a painting on ivory, it presents an individual likeness of an unidentified woman. The piece is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved as an example of late 18th-century portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait features a woman with curly brown hair, elegantly styled and partially covered by a white headscarf. She wears a blue jacket over a white blouse, accessorized with a gold earring. Her gaze is directed towards the right, conveying a sense of poise.

Her attire and composed expression suggest a person of refinement and social standing, characteristic of the era's ideals of feminine grace.