Interesting find...

[femkes_follies]

So, here (again) is the painting that hangs in the National Gallery in London:

http://www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk/search.aspx?q=NEUFCHATEL%2C+Nicolas+de&mode=artist&frm=1

Same color qualities as the version of CFGA.

Here is another, different painting of what seems to be the same woman, same gown:

http://www.artnet.com/Artists/LotDetailPage.aspx?lot_id=E6A1A6E87C01D6FB

Soooo..... Knowing that the piece in the National Gallery recently underwent restoration, what's the real color of the gown? My instinct is that it's pink, and the auctioned piece has yellowed with time, causing the gown to darken and appear red. But I'm not sure. Given the difference in the quality of the painting, I would also think it entirely possibly that one is a copy of the other by another artist.

Thoughts?

And opinions on what other colors this gown might look good in. I've got chestnut hair, grey-blue eyes, and a VERY rosy complexion. Pink is generally not my color. Alternatives?

Also, the sitter is from Nuremburg. This gown says South Germany to me. How large an area would YOU all expect to find this style in?


Oooh... I can smell the pizza my hubby is cooking. "Crust and Crumb" has the World's Best pizza crust recipe, if you can plan ahead a bit for the preferment. With a little marinated chicken breast, pepperoni, and sliced red peppers - to die for.

Comments

[ablackram.livejournal.com]

red was a more common colour. The jewel tones etc. I can see you in sapphire blue. Deep rich sapphire blue. Or emerald, but blue first.

Dingbat...Nuremburg is in Bavaria, so it IS South Germany

Been there, ate lebkuchen. Have some in my cupboard. great mulled wine too. Lovely museum.....

Bwahahahahahahahaaaaa

going back to work now.

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

I know! I just didn't phrase that right. What I meant was, this looks like a S. German style, with a S. German sitter. Could we stretch that all the way over to NW Germany/Friesland?

*pout*

I was thinking blue, but not sure how supportable it is. Nor in what colors I might find matching cotton or silk velvet and a nice high-grade wool like my van Leyden dress is made from.

[attack-laurel.livejournal.com]

They're definitely two different paintings - the second is *much* cruder and the sitter appears older! Just from looking at the online pictures, I'd be inclined to say teh first is by the artist, the second possibly a workshop piece from the artist's studio. All sorts of things are done less well, including the background. If you put the two side by side you can really see the difference.

Deep blues and greens tend to look good with rosy complexions, though you could go with a paler blue, or a deep chocolate brown.

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

I knew they were different paintings, and I agree with your assessment. I suppose the cruder one COULD have been a study for the latter, but I doubt it. I don't think the techniques match at all. And, in the rosier gown, the lady in question is looking off to her right - I bet there is or once was a companion piece of her husband that was meant to hang next to her.

That lovely rosy mauve color just really surprised me in a German gown - I hadn't seen it before. Pale pinks, salmon shades, yes. But this was new on me. It wouldn't be a hard color to get. Heck, it's the color I routinely get from cochineal when I'm trying for red. I was worried it might be an adulteration of the original color caused by the restoration mentioned by the museum. They don't say WHEN it was restored... and some of the early attempts could be pretty damaging to the painting.

I'm thinking a nice deep blue, for me. If I can find some silk or cotton velvet and a matching wool in that color. I like the monochrome look of it. And I need to spend some time with some of the sketches and woodcuts from the area to try to figure out the layers. That gown sits RIGHT on the tips of her shoulders. That seems to defy physics, unless it's pinned to an undergown somehow!

Thanks for the help!