Portrait of Franciszka Krasinska, oil on canvas, Poland, ca. 1760
6500,00 zł
The portrait of Franciszka Krasinska, aged about 18, was painted in Poland around 1760 by an unspecified artist. The painting is a classic example of a representative aristocratic portrait of the Rococo era. The image shows the future Polish princess dressed in an elegant lilac gown with open shoulders and a wide skirt. The figure is shown in a 3/4 view; with one hand she holds the dark fur coat imposed over her shoulder, while the other hand is bent at the elbow and rests in front of the figure. The calm expression on her face, her delicate blush and her carefully arranged curls have been rendered with great precision.
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Franciszka Krasińska (1742–1796) was a Polish noblewoman of the Ślepowron coat of arms, daughter of Stanisław Krasiński and Aniela Humięcka. In 1760, she entered into a morganatic marriage (a union between a member of a reigning dynasty and a partner of lower social status, which did not grant rights to the throne or full dynastic titles) with Charles Christian Wettin, son of King Augustus III of Poland, which eventually secured her the title of Duchess of Courland and Saxony. Although the union was not initially officially recognized, Franciszka held an important place in the history of the Polish 18th-century court. She died in Dresden, where she spent the last years of her life.
| Dimensions | 26 × 32 cm |
|---|---|
| Type |
Image |
| Form |
Portrait of a woman |
| Kolorystyka |
Brown ,Flesh ,Gold ,Lilac ,Olive green |
| Technika |
Oil on canvas |
| Czas powstania |
ca. 1760 |
| Era |
Modernity |
| Kraj pochodzenia |
Poland |
| Autor |
Unknown |
| State of preservation |
Very good, after maintenance |
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