Reclining Lady Holding a Fan
1820
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1820
oil
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
The painting shows a lady reclining on a couch, holding a fan. She's the main focus of the painting. The lady's figure is flattened, which is interesting because it's not a typical way to depict the human body - usually, artists try to show depth and curves. This style was possibly influenced by the decorations in palaces, where series of oil paintings were built into the walls. The paintings in these palaces often featured single, large figures. You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique of chiaroscuro.
