Robert LEFEVRE (1755-1830) Portrait of a seated... Lot 38

Robert LEFEVRE (1755-1830) Portrait of a seated lady with a blue dress and cashmere shawl Oil on canvas Signed and dated Robert Lefèvre F.1810 lower right 75 x 59,3 cm Crackles and small missing parts Beautiful gilded stucco frame from the Empire period. Chips in the frame. Provenance: Monnier family by descent The few rare notes on Robert Lefèvre tell us that the young man, destined for a legal career, finally turned to an artistic path begun as a self-taught artist between Bayeux and Caen. At the age of eighteen, he went to Paris and completed his training in one of the most important workshops of his time, that of Jean-Baptiste Regnault (1754-1829), then considered the main rival of Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825). The beginning of the 19th century marked the peak of his career, and his clientele extended beyond the French borders. It consists mainly of members of the opulent and elegant world of the First Empire that he follows and for whom he became, thanks to the support of Dominique Vivant Denon (1747-1825), the official iconographer of the power by multiplying the effigies of the Emperor. Moreover, the success of Robert Lefèvre's success led him to take on numerous commissions from private individuals. The delicate representation of our model dressed and coiffed in the Empire style is a wonderful testimony to the importance of The delicate representation of our model dressed and coiffed in the Empire style is a wonderful testimony to the importance of self-representation, especially when it comes to an artist held in such high esteem by society. Expert : Alexis BORDES - expert@alexis-bordes.com