Giorgio Banchi (Novara, 1790 - Milan, post 1850) – "Portrait of a Lady"
Author: Giorgio Banchi (signed lower left)
Period: 19th century (circa mid-19th century)
Medium: Gouache on paper
Dimensions: Framed: 32.5 x 29.5 cm
Work alone: 14.5 x 12 cm
Refined female portrait by Giorgio Banchi, a painter and miniaturist active in the heart of neoclassical and romantic Milan. The work depicts a high-ranking lady, dressed in an elegant white dress with wide puffed sleeves and a finely crafted blue bonnet, symbols of high social status and typical mid-19th-century taste.
The artist demonstrates a striking realism in his rendering of the face, characterized by a serene and intelligent expression, and extraordinary technical mastery in his use of gouache. The application is minute, almost pinpoint-like in the details of the lace, recalling his renowned work as an ivory miniaturist. The contrast between the whiteness of the clothing and the dark background, combined with the touch of red in the drape on the left, gives depth and three-dimensionality to the figure.
Notes on the Author
Giorgio Banchi, born in Novara in 1790 and educated in Milan, established his permanent studio in the prestigious Contrada del Monte (now Via Montenapoleone). His work is noted for its stylistic affinity with Giuseppe De Albertis and his ability to capture the psychological essence of his subjects with rare technical precision, making him one of the most sought-after portraitists among the Milanese bourgeoisie of the time.
