An Elegant Entrance

Oil on canvas
Signed "F. Soulacroix" (lower left)

A charming, stylish woman debuts at a ball in this grand oil on canvas by renowned historical costume painter Frédéric Soulacroix. A master at depicting the silks and satins so popular among the fashionable elite of his age, Soulacroix has attired his carefree young subject in a gown that shimmers with rich detail. Entitled An Elegant Entrance, this painting exemplifies the artist’s distinctive style, boasting an almost photographic realism in its execution. Beloved for his lustrous treatment of fabric and dynamic textures, Soulacroix’s romantic scenes are an enduring favorite among collectors.

A superb recorder of the lives of the affluent Napoleonic-era French elite, Soulacroix sought to revive the leisurely elegance of a bygone era in his canvases. The artist was among the most famous and accomplished painters of this idealized genre, referred to as the “Silk and Satins School” of the costume painters, and few could match the remarkable level of detail and realism Soulacroix imparted onto each of his canvases. In this example, a young beauty glides through sumptuous satin curtains, the gleaming folds of the fabric appearing smooth to the touch.

Son of acclaimed costume painter Charles-Joseph-Frédéric Soulacroix, Frédéric Soulacroix began studying art at the age of 15 at the esteemed Academia di Belle Arti in Florence in 1873 and the Scuola di Pittura five years later. Florence was known at the time for producing artists adept at rendering fabrics on canvas. Soulacroix was particularly skilled in this area and achieved significant commercial success within the historical costume genre, enjoying acclaim for his meticulous technique and keen observations. He is celebrated for his depictions of the lives of the wealthy in their everyday luxurious pursuits — from taking tea to playing hide-and-seek to tending to a pet. He combined fantasy with reality, sensuality with sensibility and, above all, infused his compositions with an aura of extravagance and sophistication.

Canvas: 30” high x 17 3/4” wide
Frame: 40 3/4" high x 28 3/4" wide

Provenance:
Private collection, UK (acquired circa 1980)
Sotheby’s London, 15 June 2004, lot 202
Private collection, London