In this vibrantly hued oil portrait, Jean-Gabriel Domergue paints one of his favorite models, French actress, author and future Baroness Nadine de Rothschild. Depicted at the height of her fame and beauty and donning a flirtatious feather boa and fascinator, Nadine exudes the youth, vitality and sophistication she was known for. The slender, modern women of Domergue’s paintings exude confidence and self-awareness, culminating in a perfect blend of prowess and elegance unique to his work and earning him the reputation of “inventor of the pin-up.”

Nadine de Rothschild was born Nadine Lhopitalier in Saint-Quentin, France in 1932 and began her acting career in 1949 under the pseudonym Nadine Tallier, largely thanks to Domergue. The artist ran in the most elite Parisian social circles and was known for his elaborate parties. As one of Domergue’s favorite models, Nadine had access to this branch of society, and Domergue helped open the doors of theatre and film to her. She became a darling of French mid-century cinema, appearing in over 40 films. She retired from acting after meeting her husband, banker and member of the French branch of the famous Rothschild family, Baron Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild. She took on the title of Baroness and became a writer, authoring a number of books, including one on manners and her autobiography.

Born in Bordeaux in 1889, Domergue studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. 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 oeuvre, from the 1920s he changed his focus to what would become his trademark subject, la belle Parisienne. Domergue's works captured the joie de vivre that permeated post-WWI Paris.