1901 - 1901 - XX

GAM 1525

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 52.5; Larghezza: 55.5

olio su tela

The portrait of Countess Beatrice de Byland, painted in 1901, was the first painting by Boldini to enter Luigi Frugone's collection. The “beautiful head by Boldini” mentioned by Ferruccio Stefani in a letter, accompanied by a photograph, sent to Frugone from Venice on 30 June 1926, was owned by Alphonse Ory of Paris and, thanks to Stefani and the mediation of Mrs Campeggi (a woman active in the art market), it was purchased by Luigi Frugone for around 40,000 lire. From the correspondence between the Milanese gallery owner and Frugone, it is clear that negotiations for the purchase of the painting went on for some time. The portrait of Countess Beatrice de Byland arrived in Venice from Paris on 4 August 1926 and was delivered to Luigi Frugone by Stefani himself, who, shortly afterwards, wrote that he had “finally discovered” that the painting, before belonging to Alphonse Ory, had been left in the painter's studio by the lady portrayed “because she did not consider herself to be reproduced beautifully enough”. Although small in size, the portrait bears the artist's unmistakable signature style, characterised by quick brushstrokes of vibrant colour, perfectly suited to conveying the melancholic and sensual charm and natural elegance of a leading figure in Parisian high society.