Artist in her Studio | MSK Gent
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Artist in her Studio

  • oil paint, panel
  • 46 x 37.5 cm
  • Inv. 1942-C

Public Domain

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From the 1850s onwards, the Belgian painter Alfred Stevens built a successful career in Paris as a painter of and for the beau monde, whom he always portrayed in richly decorated interiors. The approach in the Artist in her studio, one of his favourite topics, is rather unusual, since 19th century women were generally depicted as models or admirers and rarely as artists. The mirror here is not a symbol of vanity but a practical tool for painting a self-portrait. Stevens most likely depicted one of his female students. Some say it is the most famous of them, the actress Sarah Bernhardt.

Artist

Alfred Stevens RKD
Brussels 1823 - Paris 1906
painters (artists)AAT

Title Artist in her Studio
Period 19th century
Signatures, inscriptions, and markings auction stamp bottom right: Vente / de [...]
Collection paintings AAT
Object type oil paintings (visual works) AAT
Inventory number 1942-C
Acquisition credit gift
The Friends of the Museum
Ghent
1942
Current whereabouts Work on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1942-C
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/1536/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300189808 figures (representations) AAT
300124520 interior views AAT
300015638 still lifes AAT
Keywords Iconclass 31A511 mirror Iconclass
31A5111 looking in the mirror; (possibly: contemplation of own beauty) Iconclass
31A72 female sex; woman Iconclass
31AA235 sitting figure - AA - female human figure Iconclass
31D15 adult woman Iconclass
47A21 workshop-interior Iconclass
48B1 artist at work, in his workshop Iconclass
48B11 workshop, studio of the artist (in general) Iconclass
48C5142 picture within picture Iconclass
48C515(+0) tools, implements of painter (+ variant) Iconclass
48C5151 easel Iconclass
48C5152 palette Iconclass
48C5153 brushes ~ implements of painter Iconclass
48C5156 frame of painting, etc. Iconclass
61B11 anonymous historical person portrayed Iconclass
61B111 anonymous historical person portrayed alone Iconclass
61BB2 historical persons - BB - woman Iconclass
61E(PARIS) names of cities and villages (PARIS) Iconclass
School / Style realism (artistic form of expression) AAT
Alfred Stevens 1823 - 1906 / Christiane Lefebvre, Véronique Leport. - Paris : Brames & Lorenceau Editions, 2006 (p. 94 (ill.), 96-97: 'le portrait de profil d'une femme-peintre - Sarah Bernhardt peut-être - devant son chevalet, s'appliquant à s'autoportraiturer')
Kunstenaarsportretten (uit Antwerpen, Brugge en Gent : tentoonstelling Gent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, 26 mei - 19 augustus 2007) / Dorine Cardyn-Oomen, Nanny Schrijvers, Monique Tahon-Vanroose. - Gent : Vlaamse Kunstcollectie, 2007 (p. 39, nr. 38 (ill.))
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : Catalogus schilderkunst ; Deel I: 14de - 18de eeuw ; Deel II: 19de - 20ste eeuw / Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Bruno Fornari, Ruth Monteyne. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2007 (dl. II, p. 312-313 (ill.))
Isala & Louise : Twee vrouwen - Twee verhalen (tentoonstelling Leuven, M-Museum, 08.09 - 27.11.2011) / Eline Sciot. - Leuven : M (Leuven), 2011
Au travail! Les ateliers d'artistes en Belgique au XIXe siècle (exposition Namur, musée Félicien Rops, 21.10.2023 - 10.03.2024) / Laurence Brogniez, Véronique Carpiaux, Tatiana Debroux, Marjan Sterckx. - Namur : Musée Félicien Rops, 2023 ; Milano : Silvana Editoriale, 2023 (p.2)
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