Gustav Friedrich Amalius Taubert, Profile Portrait of Józefina Amalia Potocka, chalk drawing on paper, Warsaw, 1796
2200,00 zł
This miniature profile portrait depicts Józefina Amalia Potocka, shown in half-length, from the right profile. The woman’s hair features backcombed curls, cascading freely onto her neck and shoulders. A delicate hint of pink accentuates her lips, cheek, and chin, subtly enlivening the facial drawing. She is attired in a light-colored gown, its bodice adorned with a white polka-dot pattern. Her shoulders are draped with a light grey shawl featuring a darker, misty pattern. The background is shaded, rendered in shades of grey, with the upper section distinctly lighter. The entire piece was executed in pencil and chalk in a grey palette. The lips, chin, and blush areas were further tinted with pinkish gouache or watercolor.
The work is signed at the bottom left, within the oval: “Gus. Taubert. / fecit. Warsovie / 1796”. Miniature in an old paper frame with remnants of a gilded border.
Dimensions: 9.5 cm h, 7 cm w oval with composition; 10.5 cm x 9 cm with frame
1 in stock
The identification of the woman depicted in the miniature is unequivocal. Her distinctive facial features, including the shape of her face, eyes, and eyebrows, narrow lips, and, most notably, a prominent, slightly aquiline nose, confirm her as Józefina Amalia Potocka née Mniszech (born August 29, 1752, in Krakow, died October 1798, in St. Petersburg). She was an exceptionally colorful figure of her era, engaging in amateur painting and collecting artworks. In 1774, she married Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki. They had eleven children, yet only three are attributed to Stanisław Szczęsny's paternity, as Józefina Amalia had numerous lovers. Her likeness is known through a relatively large number of portraits and a sculpture located in the Royal Łazienki Park in Warsaw.
Biography
Gustav Friedrich Amalius Taubert (1755 Berlin - 1839 Berlin)
- Son and pupil of miniaturist Johann Friedrich Taubert.
- He studied at the Academy in Berlin under the portrait painter P. J. Bardou.
- He painted oil portraits and pastels, historical compositions, and genre scenes; he also created caricatures.
- He achieved his greatest recognition as a creator of miniatures painted on ivory, enamel, and porcelain.
- In 1782, he resided in Dresden, and subsequently spent two years in Vienna.
- From 1785 to 1797, he worked in Gdańsk and Warsaw, where he portrayed numerous dignitaries, including Stanisław August.
- From 1801 to 1825, he was permanently associated with the porcelain manufactory in Berlin.
- Several of his portraits are held in Polish museums; one such miniature, similar to the present work—a profile portrait of a woman—is in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw (inventory no. Min. 954 MNW).
| Weight | 0,079 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10,5 × 9 cm |
| Type |
Drawing |
| Form |
Miniature portrait of a woman |
| Kolorystyka |
Gray ,Pink ,White |
| Technika |
Chalk, gouache, pencil on chalk paper |
| Czas powstania |
1796 |
| Era |
Classicism |
| Kraj pochodzenia |
Poland |
| Autor |
Gustav Friedrich Amalius Taubert (1755 – 1839) |
| State of preservation |
Very good; border preserved fragmentarily |