Portrait of a Woman

Jean-Pierre Dantan the Younger (1800-1869)
1835, Marble

Jean-Pierre Dantan is best known for his caricature statuettes and satirical portraits of famous personalities of his day, for which he achieved a certain success in both France and England. He is, however, a classical sculptor, having studied with Bosio in 1832 at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Presented frontally, this Portrait of a Woman, with her calm expression, is an eloquent example of the artist's skill in carving. In contrast to his male busts – generally presented in the form of herms and sometimes nudes – Dantan pays attention here to decorative effects, such as the hairstyle with its thick ringlets that fall over the forehead, the lace headdress, the knotted ribbons, and the pleats in the dress.