Artwork
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman is an unspecified painting by the French Romanticist artist Rudolphe Bel. It dates from 1822 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
A portrait of a woman in a dress with a shawl over her shoulders, her hair in an updo, looking straight ahead with a calm, neutral expression. The background is pale, and soft light and shadow give her face some depth. Painted by Rudolphe Bel in 1822.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, underscoring its status as a recognized piece within the museum’s holdings.
The painting titled Portrait of a Woman, executed by Rudolphe Bel in 1822, presents a solitary female sitter rendered in the portrait genre. According to the documented classification, the work is categorized as a portrait and a miniature, with the main subject identified as a woman; this aligns with the iconographic tradition of representing a single female figure in early nineteenth‑century portraiture. The sitter’s depiction functions as a conventional likeness, emphasizing the subject’s presence rather than symbolic attributes.
The artwork is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, underscoring its status as a recognized piece within the museum’s holdings.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a Woman is a painting created by Rudolphe Bel in 1822. Classified as a portrait, the work depicts a woman and is executed in the miniature genre. Current records indicate the piece is held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
While the specific commission details and the initial ownership chain are not detailed in the available records, the work's creation is firmly dated to the year 1822. The physical dimensions of the painting are recorded as 126 units in height and 88 units in width. The artwork remains a significant example of Bel's portraiture from the early 19th century, with its provenance leading to its current institutional home.
The painting Portrait of a Woman by Rudolphe Bel, created in 1822, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, which depicts a woman in a portrait miniature format, is located at this institution. While the sources confirm its current repository and inception date, they do not provide specific inventory or accession numbers, nor do they list any past or upcoming exhibitions for this piece.
Overview
Created by Rudolphe Bel in 1822, "Portrait of a Woman" is an oil painting depicting an unnamed female sitter. This work is housed within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It exemplifies early 19th-century portraiture, focusing on a composed and dignified representation of its subject. The piece offers insight into the aesthetic conventions of the era.
Technique & Style
Bel utilized the interplay of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and volume within the composition. This technique lends a three-dimensional quality to the figure, allowing her form to emerge from the subtle, light-colored background. The careful handling of illumination contributes to the overall tranquil atmosphere and the lifelike representation of the sitter.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rudolphe Bel was a Swiss painter of the early nineteenth century. He was born in Payerne, in the canton of Vaud, and died in 1849 in Paris, where part of his career was spent. He worked as a painter, though little of…
