Gustave Courbet

Jacquet collection, Brussels
M. Brunard, Brussels (the grandson of the sitter, acquired by descent)
Mr. and Mrs. Eliot Hodgkin, London (and sold, Sotheby's, London, April 29, 1964, lot 36)
Marianne Feilchenfeldt, Zurich (acquired at the above sale)
Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia, and London (as of 1966, and sold, Christie's, New York, November 15, 1983, lot 6, illustrated)
Private collection (and sold, Phillips, New York, May 11, 2000, lot 4, illustrated)
Private collection

Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art, French Paintings from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Mrs. Mellon Bruce, March-May 1966, no. 5, illustrated

Robert Fernier, La vie et l'oeuvre de Gustave Courbet: catalogue raisonné, Lausanne and Paris, 1977, vol. I, pp. 138-139, no. 224, illustrated
Sophie Monneret, L'Impressionnisme et son époque, (A-L), Paris, 1978, vol. I, p. 162
Pierre Courthion, L'Opera Completa di Courbet (trans. from the French by M Anzil Robertini), Milan, 1985, p. 76, no. 217, illustrated p. 72
Petra ten-Doesschate Chu, ed., trans., Letters of Gustave Courbet, Chicago and London, 1992, p. 160, note 2
Lorenz Eitner, French Paintings of the Nineteenth Century. Part I: Before Impressionism (The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue), New York and Oxford, 2000, p. 117, 118, note 11, illustrated fig. 1
Dominique Marechal, "La Belgique et les Pays-Bas vus par Courbet," Gustave Courbet et la Belgique: Realisme de l'art vivant a l'art libre, exh. cat.,Musees royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, 2013, p. 39, 42, fig. 23, illustrated 

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work is in lovely condition. The canvas has been lined, but not recently. The paint layer is stable and the lining is certainly adequate. The painting appears to be dirty. Although sometimes dirt does cover some restoration, there does not seem to be retouching of any note from visual examination. While there may be a spot or two of retouching in the upper left and possibly the upper right, the figure generally seems to be very healthy. If cleaned, the palette should brighten noticeably and there is no reason that the condition of the work will not prove to be excellent.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Portraits formed an integral part of Courbet’s repertoire of diverse subject matter.  He painted them frequently throughout his career, ranging from his self-portraits, his portraits of friends and patrons and the always requisite commissioned portraits. Mademoiselle Jacquet was most likely painted in Belgium during Courbet’s first visit there in 1857.  In her editorial commentary on Courbet’s letters, Petra ten-Doesschate Chu speculates that Mademoiselle Jacquet was possibly the portrait Courbet referred to in a letter to his father: “I am in Belgium to try to develop a new line of action.  I am working here and carving out a niche for myself for the future when I may want or need it.  The way things are going in France, this is useful, especially for me.  I have two more portraits to do here, and then I go to Frankfurt, where my paintings are exhibited.” (Chu, ed., pp. 158-60, letter 58-1).

Clearly, Courbet was interested in cultivating a new market in Belgium, and portrait painting was almost always a starting point which could lead to further commissions.  The other well- known female portrait from Courbet’s time spent in Belgium is the Portrait of Mme de Brayer, also known as the Polish Exile (RF, no. 232).  However, the closest stylistic affinity to Mademoiselle Jacquet is L’Amazone, painted the previous year in 1856 in France, and now identified as a portrait of Madame Clément Laurier (fig. 1). 

The two portraits share many of the same characteristics; comparisons may be made between the subtle modulations of the skin tones, which range from softly lit contours to flushed cheeks, and even the similarity of the facial expressions.  However, the most striking affinity is Courbet’s use of black in the garments and the boldness in placing each sitter against a similarly dark background, while still maintaining their silhouettes.  Crisp white collars contrast the black of each outfit, with Mademoiselle Jacquet also sporting a bright red bow at her neckline.  This daring simplicity in Courbet’s choice of detail and the bold, but limited palette no doubt prompted Robert Fernier to comment that “this is a portrait of exceptional quality.” [“C’est un portrait d’une qualité exceptionnelle.”] 

Mademoiselle Jacquet was formerly in the collection of Paul Mellon.