Went back among my old posts to look something up, and ended up here, where I spoke about Giovanni Boldini.
Well, so much for that search. I ended up wandering along the highways, byways, trains of thought and their branch lines that is Teh Intarwebz.
So: some more Boldini pics — just not the commissioned portraits this time. I do love how he paints women’s faces, though:
But it’s when he gets naughty that I like him the most:
And then there was this one, which caused quite a scandal in its time:
Not yer typical society portrait, is it?
…and even some of those weren’t quite the typical Victoriana, like this one of Madame de Nemidoff:
or of Madame Pages:
Brilliant.
Beauty and class that doesn’t look like an anatomy lesson. What a concept! Sexiness is what’s hinted at, not in what’s on open display during Fleet Week.
Vera de Nimidoff (1879-1963) was certainly done a favor by Boldini’s portrait of her (1908).
See a photo here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Nimidoff
and several here:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vera_Nimidoff#/media/File:Btv1b8596922b-p023.jpg
I imagine all his lady subjects loved him for that. His works are grand portraits by a good hand and eye, not the throw-a-bucket-of-paint-on-a-wall scams exalted by too many pseudo intellectuals trying to be a hit with the white wine and brie set.