Jean-Gabriel Domergue presents an elegantly seductive woman in this outstanding oil portrait. Young beauties with an air of fantasy were the favored subject matter for this celebrated artist, whose unique paintings captured la belle Parisienne of the 1920s and 1930s. This alluring work epitomizes the slender, swan-like women that dominated his oeuvre and earned him the reputation of “inventor of the pin-up.”

Born in Bordeaux in 1889, Domergue demonstrated an immense artistic talent at a young age and studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. In fact, he was only 17 years old when he exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français for the first time, winning the Prix du Rome in 1911 and a gold medal in 1920.

While landscapes dominated his early works, the 1920s saw a major shift in his focus to what would become his trademark subject, la belle Parisienne. Domergue's works reflect the newfound sense of joie de vivre that permeated post-WWI Paris. Its impact could be felt in all the creative arts: from painting and fashion to music and dance. A subculture of jazz and jazz-influenced dance music popularized by such entertainers as the American Josephine Baker quickly embedded itself into the Parisian scene, and the organic asymmetry of the Art Nouveau gradually give way to the sleek sophistication of Art Deco. As seen in Ariane, Domergue's women exude self-confidence and awareness, culminating in a perfect blend of prowess and elegance unique to his paintings.