Back to gallery
Elegant Woman with Lyre Chair

Art Appreciation

In this captivating portrait, a poised woman sits gracefully on a lyre-back chair, her hands delicately resting atop its sculpted lines. Rendered with a masterful touch, the artist employs a combination of fine, confident pencil strokes and subtle washes of muted reds and grays that lend a quietly expressive depth to the figure. The woman's refined attire and high hat, adorned with a white flower, evoke an elegant fashion sense of a bygone era, while the soft cross-hatching enhances the three-dimensional volume of her dress and face, creating a gentle contrast against the sketch’s pale background. Her eyes, calm and slightly distant, invite the viewer into a world of genteel introspection, while the chair’s classical lyre shape introduces a note of artistic symbolism—perhaps hinting at creativity or musicality.

The composition’s simplicity—centered and vertical—focuses attention solely on this singular figure, yet the dynamic pencil lines breathe life and spontaneity into the piece. The restrained color palette emphasizes form and expression over decorative excess, immersing us in a moment of thoughtful stillness. This elegant study exemplifies the turn-of-the-century fascination with capturing personality and style through delicate draftsmanship. Here, the artist’s lyricism transcends mere portraiture, conjuring an atmosphere where refined grace meets artistic poetry, inviting us to imagine the silent stories behind the woman's poised yet enigmatic gaze.

Elegant Woman with Lyre Chair

Paul César Helleu

Category:

Created:

Date unknown

Likes:

0

Dimensions:

4608 × 6400 px
538 × 737 mm

Download:

Related artworks

Portrait of Sir Frederick George Painter
Madame Helleu bust-length
Peasant woman, kneeling seen from behind
Portrait of Hilda Trog
Arab Women in Jerusalem 1891
Empress Anna Ivanovna Shooting a Deer
Portrait of Ambroise Vollard in a Red Headscarf
Woman Reclining Surrounded by Putti
Madame Helleu Sitting by the Fireplace