Young Woman Powdering Herself (French: Jeune femme se poudrant) is an oil on canvas painting executed between 1889–90, by the French painter Georges Seurat.[1] The work, one of the leading examples of pontillism, depicts the artist's mistress Madeleine Knobloch.[2] It is in the collection of the Courtauld Institute of Art and on display in the GalleryatSomerset House.
| Young Woman Powdering Herself | |
|---|---|
| French: Jeune femme se poudrant | |
 | |
| Artist | Georges Seurat |
| Year | 1889-90 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 95.5 by 79.5 centimetres (37.6 in × 31.3 in) |
| Location | Courtauld Gallery, London |
Seurat kept his relationship with his artist's model Knobloch secret.[3] His relationship to the sitter was concealed when it was exhibited in 1890.[2]
Since the painting was publicly shown, the wall behind the young woman had displayed a bamboo picture frame showing a vase of flowers.[2] In 2014 using advanced image technology, it was revealed that Seurat had painted himself at his easel, the object on the wall is now believed to be a mirror.[4] After showing the painting to a friend, Seurat painted over the portrait with a table and flowers.[2][3] Ironically, this concealed portrait is the only known self-portrait made by Seurat.
Media related to Young Woman Powdering Herself at Wikimedia Commons