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Portrait of the Duchess de Bowfourt (The Lady in Blue) by Thomas Gainsborough

Portrait of the Duchess de Bowfourt (The Lady in Blue) by Thomas Gainsborough

One of the best works of the artist – “Portrait of the Duchess de Bowfourt” – created by him in the prime of his creative powers. The figure of a young woman in an open dress made of transparent white fabric gently stands out against a dark background. Her powdered hair is packed into an intricate hairdo.

Large curls descending on sloping shoulders., Set off the freshness of the young face with half-open moist lips and almond-shaped dark eyes. With a light movement of her right hand, she holds on her chest a blue silk scarf. Grayish, bluish, pinkish and white tones, here and there enhanced with bright strokes, help to convey the elegance and beauty of the model.

Painting paintings are extremely light and dynamic. A thin layer of colors shines with the tints of gentle halftones. The sensation of dynamics is intensified by a peculiar reception of the artist: he paints as if with a brush, and does not write certain parts of the portrait. This manner, reminiscent of the technique of pastels, is particularly noticeable in the interpretation of the hair of the lady depicted. The courage of Gainsborough’s picturesque techniques amazed contemporaries. So, Reynolds noted “strange spots and dashes” in the paintings of Gainsborough, “which seem more the result of chance than conscious intent.”

It is this non-academic tradition that is one of the highest achievements of Gainsborough. “Portrait of the Duchess de Bowfourt” entered the Hermitage in 1916 from the collection of A. 3. Khitrovo by will.

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