Carl Fiebig, German / Danish 1812-1874- Portrait of a woman,...

Carl Fiebig,
German / Danish 1812-1874-

Portrait of a woman, half-length, wearing a black dress with lace bonnet and collar;

oil on board, signed and dated 'Fiebig 1854' (lower right), bears an old label inscribed in Danish on the reverse, 42 x 33.1 cm.

Provenance:
Private Collection, UK.

Note:
Fiebig was a successful portraitist in 19th-century Denmark. The present work is typical of his approach, with his use of a plain dark background focusing the viewer's attention squarely on the clearly illuminated sitter. Fiebig has taken great care in the depiction of the sitter's intricate lace bonnet and lace shirt, visible at the collar, where it is pinned with a cameo brooch, and cuffs. By placing a particular emphasis on the sitter's fashionable clothing and jewellery, he has gestured towards her wealth and status, whilst still depicting her in a demure and earnest manner.