Madame Auguste Cuoq (Mathilde Desportes, 1827–1910)
Original title: Madame Auguste Cuoq (Mathilde Desportes, 1827–1910)
kurzbeschreibung
Gustave Courbet painted Mathilde Desportes, the wife of Auguste Cuoq, around 1852–57. In oil on canvas, she appears in a dark room, wearing a black dress with green and brown accents.
Description
Mathilde Desportes stands in a dim interior. Her black dress is interspersed with green and brown areas at the sleeves and hem. Her dark hair falls loosely over her shoulders, she holds a white cloth in her hand, and her gaze turns slightly to the left. Behind her, a patterned curtain and a table with a black animal skin suggest the space. Light from the left strikes the figure, modeling her face and garment, while the rest of the background remains in shadow, drawing the eye to the sitter.
Context
The painting belongs to the 1850s, when Courbet was deeply engaged with realist portraiture. The sitter is Mathilde Desportes, wife of the art collector Auguste Cuoq, who supported Courbet. The portrait was made in Courbet's studio, where he regularly painted private clients.
Impact
The muted palette and dark ground give the painting an intimate, contemplative mood. Fabric and face are precisely observed; from this the portrait gains a quiet dignity that focuses attention on the sitter herself.
Technique
The picture is worked in oil paint on canvas, in a layering typical of the period. In the light areas the paint is applied thickly, while the dark zones are laid in with glazes; this creates depth and a palpable sense of texture.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)