Charles Hermann-léon (1838-1908) Portrait Of A Young Woman With A White Bow

Charles HERMANN-LÉON (born Léon Charles Sigismond HEMRMANN)
(Le Havre 1838 - Paris 1908)
Portrait of a young woman
Oil on canvas
H. 54 cm; L. 41 cm
Signed and dated upper right - 1877

Opera lovers will certainly recognize this family name, carried by a famous bass from the first half of the 19th century. This man was the father of our painter, whose stage name he kept. Pupil of Eugène Fromentin and Philippe Rousseau, the young Léon Herrmann specialized very quickly in animal painting and genre scenes embellished with quadrupeds and birds. From his first exhibitions at the Salon des Artistes Française in 1867, he was noticed for his talent and the clarity of his works. He will receive 3rd and 2nd class medals and will be quickly classified Hors Concours.

Hermann-Léon presents here the only portrait currently known in his corpus. This young woman with the happy face and the magnificent striped dress is synonymous with real talent. It is a pity that the artist did not put his abilities more often at the service of this art.