Portrait

When was this painted? Is there a good quality of painting?

 

What do you already know about it?

 

Picture from St. Petersburg. I will try to find out more information from the seller. I bought a painting for 14 dollars.

I think that most likely the picture of 1900-1920?

 

I am not familiar with the fashions of that time in that part of the world (to help with date). It's possible that @Figtree3 can help.

 

I think the painting is very nice. Maybe also a sketch. If you speak Russian, have you tried this forum http://www.antik-forum.ru/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=706.

 

I know this forum. ))

but the people there are not credible. on one forum they wrote that this was a studened work of the 1970s and poor quality work (weak). supposedly someone dressed up in a costume of the 19th century.

I think that this is complete nonsense))

The picture is old. Yes, and an old drawing technique.

 

and such costumes and hairstyles are typical in Russia for the second half of the 19th century and for the beginning of the 20th century.

this can be seen in many photographs of that time.

 

Agree, they are not particularly friendly there but sometimes give good advice. Depends case to case, I think.
Concerning the painting, I wonder if it was part of a larger portrait. The canvas is cut with scissors I think which is weird. And are those holes from nails on the upper and lower edges of it?

 

After the revolution, this may well be. At that time, ancient icons were massively burned. quite could cut out of the frame a portrait of a noblewoman and insert a portrait of Lenin into the frame))

 

She's been trimmed at both ends. And hard to date because she's either wearing a severe costume or a uniform. Hair does look modern. But not student work. Clearly a portrait and her personality is well-captured.

Debora

 

My guess would be c1900 or earlier, based on the dress shoulders, but I really, really don't know. One of the fashion mavins will have to comment.

I think this is a fragment of a larger picture. Very strange proportions for the canvas, given the subject. It's likely the bottom portion of the painting was cut away (maybe a bit of the top as well) and fiscarded due to damage. The surface looks scrubbed to me. If true, that means the painting has been harshly cleaned, leaving the paint looking worn and dull.

A lot of things here to hurt the value, but it might make a decorator piece if you find an appropriate frame. The canvas format as shown is landscape, which is to say wider than it is high. To frame it, I would look for a portrait frame (higher than wide) and fold the excess canvas out of sight. A fresh coat of varnish might also help. Obviously these are not things you would do to a painting of value. You might double your money, maybe even triple it, nicely framed, if someone takes a liking to the face.

 

Please post some photographs of this.

Debora

 

I am having a second look at it and I am doubtful about its age. For example, pay attention to the prolonged lighter spot next to the left cheek. It appeared because the artist wanted to make the contrast between the shadow on the face and the background .- something that I would expect from a beginner. The colour loss could come from the excessive amount of turpentine or linseed oil that the artist used for thinning the paint. The portrait is indeed very well-made but I wouldn't discard the possibility of a student in a decent academic institution, something beyond Glazunov's followers' stylizations.

 

There was, after all, an Imperial Academy of Art in St. Petersburg.

 

That could be an option, and also it can be more recent

 

I wouldn't fold the excess canvas, I think it's safer for the painting to attach extra canvas to the top and bottom of the painting and to stretch it on a landscape stretcher. And then cover with the frame you want. You might need a specialist for this and varnishing.

 

I wonder if it’s a mourning dress she’s wearing, it’s awfully drab to wear for a portrait.

 

@SSlava, I don't know if you are keeping the portrait, or going to sell it, but if you haven't made up your mind....all I did was "enhance" the colors a bit with a program's filters and put a frame around her to show that she could look very nice.....with some work......I have no idea how much it would cost to have done or how it could affect potential value!

 

In the USSR in the 20th century, such dresses were not worn.
Although about the hair, I'm not sure for sure))
For example, a photograph of the beginning of the 20th century and a photograph of 1928:

 

Well, a tough question. Perhaps it was a novice artist in the Russian Empire)). Was there also an academy for example? In general, it is not entirely clear yet. The back side of the canvas looks relatively old (as I compared, in the 1970s, canvases usually look different).
Perhaps the picture is pre-war (1920-30 years). In any case, I highly doubt what has been done after the 1950s. But most likely it is written before this time.
But this is definitely not a weak job.