Artwork
Self-Portrait in Green Dress
Self-Portrait in Green Dress is an ivory painting by the Rococo painting artist Marie-Thérèse de Noireterre. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Nationalmuseum. Created in 1798, this intimate portrait by Marie‑Thérèse de Noireterre presents the artist herself in a modest half‑length format.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1798, this intimate portrait by Marie‑Thérèse de Noireterre presents the artist herself in a modest half‑length format. Executed on a small, circular ivory support, the work measures only a few inches across and is currently part of the collection of Sweden’s Nationalmuseum.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, identifiable as de Noireterre, is rendered with curly, silver‑toned hair, a green dress, and a white cravat. She holds a hand‑mirror, a traditional symbol of self‑reflection, while her other hand rests on a desk that bears a palette and a tiny glass jar, suggesting the artist’s professional identity.
Technique & Style
Working on ivory, a material more common in miniature portraiture than in larger oil paintings, the artist achieves delicate modeling through fine brushwork and subtle tonal shifts. The darkened background isolates the figure, allowing the luminous skin tones and the green fabric to dominate the visual field.
History & Provenance
Signed discreetly in the lower corner, though the inscription is faint, the painting has remained in public ownership, entering the Nationalmuseum’s holdings in the early twentieth century. Its provenance prior to museum acquisition is not extensively documented, reflecting the limited archival record for many women artists of the period.
Context
Produced during the post‑Revolutionary era in France, the work aligns with a broader trend of self‑portraiture among female artists asserting their professional status. The choice of ivory and the inclusion of artistic tools underscore both the personal and vocational dimensions of the image.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Marie-Thérèse de Noireterre painted tiny ivory portraits in the late 1700s. Her 1795 Self-Portrait in Green Dress shows a woman in a softly lit green gown, the kind of delicate likeness meant for a pocket or a locket.…
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