Alexei Harlamoff

(Dyachevka 1840–1925 Paris)
Portrait of a Young Girl with a Necklace, signed Harlamoff, oil on canvas, 47.5 x 35 cm, framed

Provenance:
Sale, Sotheby’s, London, 7 June 2016, lot 10;
Private Collection, Great Britain.

Catalogued and illustrated in:
Eckart Lingenauber, Olga Sugrobova-Roth, Alexei Harlamoff, Catalogue Raisonné, online, Addendum: Authentic Paintings A 35_P.

Alexei Harlamoff spent most of his artistic career in Paris and was one of the most sought-after portraitists of the late 19th century. His portraits are characterised by a sensitive eye for detail and exceptional painterly virtuosity, with children and young women being his most frequent subjects.
This lot depicts a young girl in front of a neutral background in soft pastel blue tones. The face is modelled with the utmost care, and the soft rendering of the features and the luminous colours lend the portrait a special intensity. The direct gaze, which captivates the viewer with quiet intensity, is further emphasised by the dark eyes and slightly tousled hair. The artist's paintings were highly acclaimed in the salons of Paris and London during his lifetime and remain to this day testimonies to a style of painting that mediates between academic tradition and poetic realism.