Mademoiselle Adèle Sigoigne
Maker
Thomas Sully
(American, 1783 - 1872)
ClassificationsPAINTINGS
Date1829
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions29 1/2 x 25 in. (74.9 x 63.5 cm.)
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Gift of the Virginia Steele Scott Foundation
Label TextThomas Sully composed his portrait of Adèle Sigoigne as a series of curvilinear forms that add a dynamic quality to the work. The pronounced S-curve of the harp leads the viewer's eye to Sigoigne while framing her face. The harp also indicates Sigoigne's cultural sophistication and alludes to her role as owner of a school for girls to whom she taught refined subjects including music and French.By 1828, after the death of Gilbert Stuart, Sully had become America's leading portrait painter. His work was often compared to that of British artist Thomas Lawrence (whose Pinkie hangs in the Huntington Art Gallery) because Sully, like Lawrence, handled paint fluidly and employed bright colors. Sully's spontaneous, seemingly effortless brushwork are especially evident in Adèle Sigoigne's right sleeve and the flowers in her hair.
Status
On viewObject number83.8.47
