The Venetian At The Mask Ball
The Venetian At The Mask Ball c1837 by French Painter Joseph-Desire Court (1797 – 1865); een portretverf en schilder van historische onderwerpen.
This is a breath taking portrait of a beautiful young lady sitting on a balcony seat at a grand ball, with her back to a massive golden floral carved pillar.
The is wearing an eye catching deep pink and white tall hat that is complimented with three large feathers that hanging over her hat to her right side; one feathre is black, the others are deep pink and white just like her hat.
That hat and feathers make her jet black hair and dark eyes stand out; and are beautifully contrasted with her black velvet and deep rose dress with fluffy white sleeves and adorned with deep pink along her hair, hat, and sleeves of the dress that are a perfect match for the other articles of clothing described above.
She is also wearing a pair of arms length gloves that do not have finger attatchments; and on her left hand she is wearing diamond and red gemstone ring and from her right hand dangles a mask.
In the background we see three huge lighted chandeliers and a very large crowd of people that have come to the ball.
The Venetian At The Mask Ball is a retouched digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image.
Hieronder Info Hoffelijkheid The Matthiesen Gallery
It is thought that the portrait, waarnaar wordt verwezen in de 1838 Saloncatalogus als Portret van Miss W, misschien van de dochter van Louis-Philippe's vertrouwde bediende zijn, George White. Er was een 'Mademoiselle White' in dienst in de jaren 1830 als kamermeisje van Adélaïde d'Orléans, Louis Philippe’s sister and it would not have been uncommon for the child of a trusted servant to gain employment in the household of another member of the royal family.
George White himself had originally been employed by the brother of the king, the duc de Montpensier, and following his death in 1807 had been taken on by Louis-Philippe. George While is believed to have entered the royal family’s service during their first exile in England, van 1800-1815, and rose to be the closest of personal servants. George had kamers in zowel het kasteel van Randan als het Trianon in Versailles en kreeg een toelage van 3000 franken tijdens de tweede ballingschap van Louis-Philippe, 1848-1850.
Het is ook bekend dat George oog had voor kunst, diverse malen in opdracht van Louis-Philippe werken inkopen. Although this portrait may seem grand for a servant, het toont misschien zowel de achting waarmee de familie werd gehouden binnen het Koninklijk Huis als George's connecties binnen de artistieke broederschap. Of hij persoonlijk bekend was bij de rechtbank, weten we niet zeker, de uitgebreide activiteit van het Hof in Versailles tijdens de juli-monarchie moet hen echter tot een kennismaking met elkaar hebben gebracht.