Nicolas Jacques

Lady in Black Dress with White Frills

The lady in a lace-trimmed black dress gives a graceful impression as the colour palette is restricted to black, grey and white which suggests simplicity and underlines the sitter's beauty. The tender colours in the lady's face are fresh ¹ and her look conveys sensitivity. Often, Jacques painted his sitters with very small mouths, large eyes and wavy eye-lids; this portrait, however, shows immediate naturalness.

¹ To increase their brightness, the artist stuck silver leaf onto the ivory reverse.