The Young Woman with White Shawl Gustave Doré

Known primarily for his illustrations of literary works and the Bible, Gustave Doré always remained open to other genres and techniques of art. Extremely successful and prolific, he also developed his talents in the fields of painting, sculpture, and even furniture design. Wishing to establish himself as a painter, he exhibited monumental religious compositions at the Paris Salon, but also executed more intimate genre scenes and portraits, such as the one held in Budapest.
The work shows a beautiful, fashionable young woman sitting in a garden. Her slender, elegant figure is accentuated by the white shawl wrapped around her bust and by the belt encircling her waist. The wide, black skirt, adorned with white lace, the feathered hat and the fine white gloves beautifully complement her garment. As if something had caught her attention while reading, she is looking in the distance, away from the viewer. Protected from the harsh summer light by a striped sunshade, she appears in the shadow against the fresh green backdrop. The strong contrast between the woman and her environment, however, suggest that the model was probably painted in the artist’s studio, not in the open.

Anna Zsófia Kovács