3827 - RIBAUPIERRE, FRANÇOIS DE (Clarens 1886 – 1981 La Tour-de-Peilz): Portrait of a Young Woman from Valais

RIBAUPIERRE, FRANÇOIS DE (Clarens 1886 – 1981 La Tour-de-Peilz): Portrait of a Young Woman from Valais Pastel monogrammed lower left 31x32 cm (image size), framed François de Ribaupierre, a native of Vaud, studied painting in Geneva, Munich, Paris, and Florence. Stylistically, he was influenced by the Italian Renaissance, the then-novel Symbolist movement, and Ferdinand Hodler. Early on, he developed a deep connection to the neighboring canton of Valais, particularly the mountainous Val d’Hérens. Beginning in 1914, he settled permanently in Les Haudères. The people, landscapes, and traditional customs of this alpine world became the central focus of his work. From then on, he portrayed the region’s inhabitants with great attention to detail, capturing traditional costumes, everyday life, and rural ways of life. In addition to oil painting, pastel was also a central component of his oeuvre. This work clearly reveals the artist’s careful and meticulous approach. The girl’s face appears delicate; the play of light makes her skin and her eyes, gazing into the distance, glow. Contrasting with the light-colored face is the dark Valais traditional costume worn by the young model, rendered with great sensitivity, which expresses her connection to the realities of Alpine life. Auction date: November 6, 2026, 7:15 p.m.