Giovanni Boldini (Italian, 1842-1931)


Due signore sedute in un interno signed 'GBoldini' (lower left)oil on panel12.2 x 10.8cm (4 13/16 x 4 1/4in).Painted circa 1873-1875
|We are grateful to Dott.ssa Francesca Dini for confirming the attribution to Giovanni Boldini. The present lot is accompanied by a photo-certificate no. 002686. ProvenancePrivate collection, Belgium.The present and following lots by Giovanni Boldini, both from a private Belgian collection, are charming examples of the artist's Parisian interiors, epitomising the Belle Époque.Boldini settled in Paris in 1871 and came under the representation of renowned art dealer Adolphe Goupil, to Boldini's evident delight, the artist stating that '[under Goupil] it was impossible to be un-known'.1 Unlike other artists however, Boldini was not solely under the control of Goupil and kept his independence by selling directly to collectors and other dealers, as his popularity increased. A wealthy international clientele showed great appetite for works such as the present lots - vivacious women partaking in enjoyable activities, such as reading, conversation, music and embroidery- the benefit of their smaller size meaning they could easily be sent abroad. Works such as these seamlessly promoted the idea of a sophisticated, civilised Parisian society, particularly significant in the wake of the Prussian defeat and the upheaval of civil war during the Paris Commune.Boldini's Parisian women are often characterised by delicate features and coiffed shiny hair and in these interior scenes, Boldini's lover at the time, Berthe, often modelled for the artist.1 Sarah Lees, Giovanni Boldini in Impressionist Paris, Exhibition Catalogue, Italy, 2009, p. 25.