Lady in a Black Dress
Flavien-Emmanuel Chabanne
As in the portrait of a lady that he had painted eight years previously (inv. no. 11271), Chabanne attached importance to depicting this sitter in a serious mood. The lady is dressed entirely in black. Her only adornment is a slender chain that she has wound around her forehead. The slightly lowered head, the shy gaze directed at the viewer, and the hand resting on the stomach all suggest humility and modesty. They call to mind depictions of the Annunciation and are intended to illustrate that the lady’s morals are beyond reproach. Although Chabanne painted realistic portraits that appeared true to life, he frequently showed women in a figurative moral corset. They look demure and submissive, while men are shown full of character and self-confidence.
Chabanne was without a doubt the most talented miniaturist working in Lyons at his time.1 The art connoisseur Désiré Monnier offered this praise for his work in 1843:2 “This artist uses a broad, elegant, and pure painting style that sets his ivory miniatures apart from the rest.”
B. P.