28 - Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889–1962)

Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889–1962) Barbara, circa 1950–1955; oil on panel, signed lower left; 55 x 46 cm; Condition Report: Framed This portrait of a woman exemplifies the second phase of the artist’s career, a period during which his aesthetic standards evolved toward a decidedly more modern style, foreshadowing the iconography of the pin-up. Moving away from the subdued, dark atmospheres of his early work, Domergue here places his model in a three-quarter rear view against a luminous azure background, painted with broad, fluid brushstrokes. The composition highlights the defining features of his ideal of beauty: elongated almond-shaped eyes, a playful nose, lips painted a vivid red, and brown hair styled into a voluminous, sophisticated bun. Her bare shoulders, highlighted by the curves of a light feathered collar, accentuate the model’s grace and immediate sensuality, making this work an iconic example of the glamour and lightheartedness of the postwar years.