76 - CARLO GAUDINA

CARLO GAUDINA (Turin, 1878–1937) Portrait of a Noblewoman Oil on canvas, 110 x 8 cm Signed “C Gaudina” lower left Fair condition, with patina and slight signs of aging. Original canvas and period stretcher This fine work, signed in the lower left corner, depicts a female figure from the late 19th to early 20th century and can undoubtedly be attributed to the talented Piedmontese painter Carlo Gaudina (Turin, 1878–1937). The work depicts a noblewoman or a prominent figure in society and displays meticulous attention to detail, such as the sumptuous gown, the jewelry she wears (a pearl necklace), and her accessories (a hat adorned with flowers, a fan, and a fur shawl). The woman is wearing an elegant dark gown complemented by a sumptuous fur stole draped over her arm. In her hands, she holds a fine ostrich-feather fan. Jewelry and hairstyle: Around her neck, she wears a classic and elegant three-strand pearl necklace, a symbol of high social status. Her hairstyle is crowned by a wide-brimmed hat decorated with striking pink roses. Style and Period: The formal three-quarter pose and the use of a dark, blurred background serve to highlight the figure and the luster of the details (feathers, pearls, and facial features), a technique widely used in European bourgeois portraiture of that period.