Tissot James Jacques, After the Bridesmaid La Femme Paris, 1890s, Oil Painting

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The Bridesmaid after James Jacques Tissot, oil on wood, 40.5 x 30.5 cm. This work is a hand-painted oil painting … Read more The Bridesmaid after James Jacques Tissot, oil on wood, 40.5 x 30.5 cm. This work is a hand-painted oil painting copy after James Jacques Joseph Tissot (October 15, 1836, Nantes – August 8, 1902, Buillon, France), one of the most important Franco-British painters of the Victorian era, known for his masterful depictions of elegant Parisian and London society scenes. The original to which this work refers is "La Demoiselle d'Honneur" / "The Bridesmaid" (c. 1883–1885), part of Tissot's famous cycle "La Femme à Paris"—a series of 15 large-format paintings depicting the fashionable Parisian woman in various social roles, now considered among the masterpieces of Victorian painting. The original, measuring 147.3 × 101.6 cm, oil on canvas, is housed in the Leeds City Art Galleries (Leeds Art Gallery, UK). This copy, executed in oil on wood and measuring 40.5 × 30.5 cm, reproduces the scene on a smaller scale: an elegant lady in a characteristic Parisian day dress of the 1880s—a richly ruffled, dove-blue bustle dress—walks down a busy street toward a waiting horse-drawn carriage; a gentleman accompanies her with a parasol, and in the background, passersby throng the urban bustle. The color scheme, with the vibrant blue of the dress as the central focal point, contrasted by dark tones in the surroundings, is typical of Tissot's use of color during this period of her career. The work is to be understood as a copy or re-creation and is accordingly marked "after Tissot." It impresses with its masterful painting technique, meticulous attention to detail in the depiction of the dress, and an atmospheric street scene. For collectors of Victorian themes, Tissot admirers, and lovers of the 19th century, this decorative and artistically high-quality painting offers an attractive alternative to the prohibitively expensive original print. See less