The Lady with the Veil is one of Sweden’s best loved paintings. The woman in the portrait is partially hidden by a black silk veil. Beneath the covering, she is dressed for a special occasion in white lace and pink silk. During the 18th century, dressing up, disguising oneself, and playing dramatic roles was a common pastime of the upper classes. "The Lady with the Veil" shows how one could dress up à la bolonaise – in the style of Bologna. The woman is smiling in a tempting fashion, yet she seems to want to remain sly. She only shows part of herself. There are many anonymous portraits of women in collections around the world with their identities long lost including many of Alexander Roslin’s portraits titled “Unknown Woman.” But, "The Lady with the Veil" is not a forgotten women as she was Roslin’s wife: the French portrait artist Marie Suzanne Giroust. At the time, fans were not just a practical item for social gatherings. Fans could also be used for sending secret messages. There were numerous ways of holding, opening and closing fans. Each way meant something specific. The lady with the veil has folded her fan and is using it to stroke her cheek. This might mean: I love you! It was once the artist himself who received this message while he was painting his wife. Nowadays, we are the lucky ones to let ourselves be seduced by the alluring veiled woman. Roslin was born in Skåne, in the south of Sweden in 1718, but worked predominantly in Paris. He portrayed the elite of Europe during his career, receiving commissions in Paris, St. Petersburg, Bayreuth, and Stockholm. In 1752, when Roslin settled in Paris, he was elected a member of the French Académie. He then spent the rest of his life in France, except for two years in the service of Catherine II in St Petersburg. In 1759, Roslin married the pastel painter Marie-Suzanne Giroust and the couple had six children plus one seductive painting called "The Lady with the Veil."
Damen med slöjan. Konstnärens maka Suzanne Roslin (The Lady with the Veil, the Artist's Wife) by Alexander Roslin (Swedish) - Oil on canvas / 1768 - Nationalmuseum Sweden (Stockholm) #womeninart #art #oilpainting #womensart #portraitofawoman #NationalmuseumSweden #hello #AlexanderRoslin #SwedishArt
