The brush and the canvas
In the year 1817, Edmée Brucy left behind traces of her hand on canvas. Her work often focused on the human face, capturing individuals in quiet moments. One such piece, a portrait of a man, shows him in a bust-length view. The oil paint sits on the fabric, marked by her signature and the date in the lower right corner. It is a small window into a specific time, measuring 61 by 50 centimeters.
Her approach to portraiture involved a careful look at detail. In another work from that same year, she painted a young man wearing a white bow. The light catches the fabric of the bow and the features of the sitter. This painting, slightly different in scale at 59.6 by 48.7 centimeters, shows her interest in the textures of clothing and the steady gaze of her subjects.
Traces of a life
The records of her work appear in auction rooms and private collections. A portrait of a man she painted once appeared at an auction in Paris, Drouot, in October 2019. These pieces move through different hands, such as the young man with the white bow, which was held by Antiquités Boularand Benjamin in Pézenas. While much of her personal history remains quiet, the physical objects she created continue to exist.
- Medium used: oil on canvas
- Notable works from 1817: Portrait of a man; Portrait of a young man with a white bow
- Locations associated with her work: Paris, Pézenas
