Portrait of Leonilla Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn - Essay Example

Portrait of Leonilla Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn Hanna Deglin History of Costume Design II Alexis Anselmi February 19, Princess Leonilla hails from one of the most influential and noble Russian families. Born in Moscow in May of 1816, Princess Leonilla Ivanovna Bariatinskaya married Prince Ludwig Zu Sayn Wittgenstein on 23 October 1834 at Castle Marino and became Princess Sayne Wittgenstein Sayn. Their marriage existed between the year 1799 and 18661. Princess Leonilla’s beauty was her main motivator towards numerous portraits. Because of her beauty, Princess Leonilla attracted many artists that produced her portrait. Portrait of Leonilla Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn2 The Portrait of Leonilla, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, is the artistic work of Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873), a German painter and lithographer recognized for his portraits of royalty. This is just one among the many artistic work that Franz Xaver Winterhalter produced. However, this paper mainly focus on the portrait of Princess Leonilla. The famous Princess Leonilla’s portrait will be discussed in detail with a focus on the analysis of costume and what the subject’s costume implies about her personal tastes, social status, and the physical ideal of the time3. In 1843, Winterhalter was commissioned to paint Princess Leonilla’s portrait. The Russian-born Princess Leonilla (1816-1918) was married to Prince Ludwig Aldof Friedrich the same year she was painted4. In 1833, she sat for Winterhalter for an oval portrait that featured her shadowed face, contrasting dark hair and opaline skin, and magnificent pearls. He also painted her again in 1849. It is the Portrait of Leonilla, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, however, that overshadows all other paintings. Winterhalter employs an art style known as Romanticism in which he ‘humanizes’ his clients, by being more objective about the features of his subject’s he brings out their unique beauty5. The artist, Franz Xaver Winterhalter (German, 1805-1873), was famous for his glossy and daring portraits of German Royals. Born to a peasant stock in a small village in the Back Forest in Germany, the young Winterhalter became interested in art. At the ripe age of thirteen, he began training in art through an apprenticeship. It is here that Winterhalter first learned the practice of engraving. He then moved on to Munich to study painting, living off of his lithography earnings6. Winterhalter’s painting career was ignited in 1828 when the Grand Duchess of Baden commissioned him to do a portrait. This was the beginning of a series of royal court paintings which spanned the globe from Italy to France to Russia. The young artist’s success sparked, many onlookers to comment that his portraits appeared unusual and unconventional7. Despite this hurdle, Winterhalter developed a favorable reputation for his skillfulness at combining flattery and likeness in his portraiture8. The portrait of Princess Leonilla completed in 1843 in Paris can be classified as subject painting. The beauty of the Princess captured in the oil-based painting on canvas reflects an aura of romanticism. This is achieved through the humanization of the subject. Winterhalter was known for employing substantive amounts of gloss in his portraits to make the subject look flawless. He was also known for dictating the most favorable pose and scenery.9 This portrait hangs at the Getty Center Museum Pavilion Gallery, W202 and is in good company amongst other royal portraits. Winterhalter’s full-length portrait measures 56”x83”. As stated by As Farr states, one stands in front of the painting, the grandeur of the setting chosen by Winterhalter seems to come alive despite being an old, oil based artistic expression on canvas10. The two primary areas of focus are the subject’s expensive, silk gown and her striking, natural beauty so skillfully captured by the artist.11 Reclining on a low sofa, the subject’s evening gown hugs the body at the bust and becomes increasingly full toward the waist. The low-lying, v-shaped neckline skillfully draws the viewer’s eyes to the expensive pearls around her neck. The princess appears to be gently playing with her pearl necklace as it hangs ever-so-slightly to one side of her shoulder. A small, blue brooch sits just below the v in her neckline. The result of all this activity around her upper body forces the viewer’s attention upward and onto the subject’s bust12. The Princess’ pointed bodice ends slightly below the natural waistline and is highlighted by a loosely tied pink sash. The long, pink sash creates a beautiful knot which gently drapes down the front of the gown. The princess also wears a deep plum or black lace mantle loosely draped around her shoulders. The princess holds an intricately decorated bronze fan in her left hand which compliments the milky complexion of her skin. A pearl bracelet adorns the subject’s other wrist.13 As the princess reclines on the sofa, her skirt drapes from bodice to hem in large, organic folds. The bold and thick pleats toward the top of the skirt contribute to the impression of expense and luxury that went into the design of the dress. A deep purple veil wraps around her and cascades across her hands. Her eyes seem to stare at you because of her precisely arched eyebrows and the way she artfully plays with the pearls around her neck. He intensifies the pose and luxurious setting with the way he paints her glowing creamy skin and the use of bright fabric colors. Princess Leonilla wears her hair low and parted at the center. At the lower back of her head, a huge bun which appears to be plaited holds the hair together. No hair accessories are evident. By showing the island and ocean far away it serves two functions. It helps the viewer know how far the island and horizon is from us as well as putting the Princess in the spotlight14. The reclined position of the subject is daring for the time, but also characteristic of Winterhalter’s style. In fact, it’s very reminiscent of a well-known but private painting done for Queen Victoria by the same artist. Similarly, the brightly colored draperies behind the subject can be linked to those in Queen Victoria’s painting as well. Portrait of Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter15 Sensuality and sexuality abound in Winterhalter’s portrait—a hallmark of Romanticism. The sensual pose and the way in which she suggestively fondles her pearls leave little to the imagination while also rendering the work less formal. The scene is akin to something one might encounter in a harem scene or odalisque16. Due to the suggestive nature, the artist’s portrait was only successfully made as a result of the subject’s social position and may have been inspired by the famous portrait of Madame Récamier done in 180017. Without intense scrutiny, one would acknowledge the social position and wealth of Princess Leonilla. Winterhalter’s works were known to humanize the subject, this portrait of Princess Leonilla being no exception. Her striking beauty is apparent through the natural tone and expression in her face, and while her large eyes might appear sad at first glance, the upward turn of her mouth points to an impending smile18. Likewise, there’s a certain intimacy to the portrait which is highlighted by the way in which the artist employs chiaroscuro throughout the silk fabric. This vivid contrast of light and dark is also evident in the play between the subject’s pale skin and rich fabric. All of this contributes to the notion of sensuality and romanticism19. Back to the subject of discussion, Winterhalter draws the eyes of the viewer slowly from the model to the surrounding. The foreground covered in expensive carper further draws one attention to the pillars covered in draperies. Although, Princess Leonilla grabs the maximum attention of the portrait, the artist captures even more fascinating scenario over the balcony. The oleander climbing plant captured in leafy green color paves the way for the sky, the horizon, and the ocean. Through the atmospheric detail, Winterhalter paints the colors of a sunset with less detail. Receding items such as the pink flowers and amidst green plants illuminates a suburb residential area. The pillars further complement the royal aspect intended to be captured. On the far right, one notices the non-distinct Blue Ocean and island20. The reclining pose, as depicted by Princess Leonilla in her portrait of 1843, is reminiscent of traditional Venuses21. By just looking at the portrait, one cannot help but feel the grandeur of the setting, almost hear the rustle of silk in her skirt, and be captivated by the pure beauty of Leonilla. Previously, Princess Leonilla did another portrait by Winterhalter in 183322. The oval portrait shows contrasting opaline skin from the significantly back hair. The oval portrait also features accessories made mainly from pearls. In 1849, Princess Leonila did another painting by Winterhalter, which remains in custody of the royal family within its original frame23. In the portrait, Queen Victoria appears very simplistic. As reported, the Queen features common attire with her hair let down loose. In order to stress out on her femininity, the Queen did not feature any items that link her to her royal status24. The queen’s portrait that now is available in the museum pleased Prince Albert reportedly. Her sultry look in conjunction with a reluctant pose on a red pillow complemented Winterhalter’s reputation further. Artists in the contemporary world associate Winterhalter with supposedly breathing life into the vague royal paintings of the past.25 Although Winterhalter garnered much criticism and ridicule for his supposed superficiality and pursuit of fame, his royal and aristocratic patrons were extremely generous and continued to support his skill as a painter. Winterhalter’s approach was unique in that he was a master at aligning his choices in style and fashion to the luxury of the setting26. Furthermore, he tended to focus his attention on the face and dress of his subjects rather than the surroundings. Provenance 1843- Commissioned from Winterhalter, to the Sayn-Wittgenstein family. 1918-1985- Alexander Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. 1985-1986- Artemis Fine Arts Ltd. (London). 1986- J. Paul Getty Museum. Bibliography Bernstein, Aline. Masterpieces of womens costume of the 18th and 19th centuries. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 2001. Farr, Amanda. Christina Robertson: a Scottish portraitist at the Russian Court. Edinburgh: City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries, 1996. J. Paul Getty Museum. The J. Paul Getty Museum journal. Malibu, Calif: J. Paul Getty Museum, 1974. Ormond, Richard and Carol Blackett. Franz Xaver Winterhalter and the Courts of Europe 1830-70. London: National Portrait Gallery, 1987. Accessed February 6, 2015. http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person.php?search=sa&LinkID=mp077 45& role=art&wPage=3 Shawe-Taylor, Desmond. The conversation piece: scenes of fashionable life. London: Royal Collection, 2009. Tillander-Godenhielm, Ulla. The Russian imperial award system during the reign of Nicolas II, 1894-1917. Helsinki: Suomen Muinaismuistoyhdistys, 2005. Read More