Jean Baptiste Maes-Canini: Portrait de jeune fille aristocrate, HST signed and dated 1818 - 64cm x 77cm

Early 19th-century Belgian school, portrait of a child, a very graceful young brunette girl with blue eyes wearing a neo-Renaissance roble at the height of fashion in the early 19th century: a high tulle collar reminiscent of 16th-century strawberries adorned with fine Bruges lace and chased gold buttons. The young girl's hair is still in the style of the Empire, her curly hair held in place by a headband tiara; she holds her silver-mounted purse in her hand. The painting is signed lower left JB Maes and dated 1818 (clearly legible, but difficult to photograph due to reflections). The painting is presented in a beautiful, rich Empire period frame gilded with gold leaf.

Jean-Baptiste Maes-Canini (1794 - 1856) was a student at the Ghent Academy of Fine Arts. His work was soon rewarded with numerous prizes: competitions at the Fine Arts Schools in Mechelen in 1810, Ghent in 1817, Brussels in 1818, Antwerp and Amsterdam in 1819. Elected a member of the Royal Society of Fine Arts of Ghent in 1820, the city of Ghent granted him an annual pension to pursue his training in Italy, which he loved and where he settled for good, specializing with talent in Italian scenes.

Our fine portrait dates from his Northern School period, when he portrayed a young girl from high society in Ghent or Bruges. The girl is beautiful, her fine, regular features delicately and elegantly portrayed.

A very fine amateur portrait, ideal to complete a collection of early 19th century neoclassical furniture.

It is in excellent condition: cleaned painting, on its original canvas with some old restorations (lined), in its period frame gilded with gold leaf and restored by our gilder.

Frame: 64cm x 77cm
Canvas: 48cm x 59cm

Ref: P5RNH3AZ1E