Portrait of Marjorie Ferry
Portrait of Marjorie Ferry is an oil-on-canvas painting from 1932 by the Polish Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka.
Description
The painting depitcts a young blonde-headed woman walking along a marble balcony. She is dressed in a white satin sheet and is wearing a shiny ring on her finger. She has perfectly smooth skin and well-manicured fingernails. She is surrounded by modernist shapes of architectural elements. The image of the woman, who is giving a seductive look at the viewer and gently smiling, casts an aura of mystery.The portrait presents a glittering scene of high society life in Paris during 1930.
History
The painting depicts British cabaret singer Marjorie Ferry, who performed in Paris in the 1930s. It was commissioned by Ferry's husband in 1932 and painted in the artist’s studio on rue Méchain. The artwork was intended as a gift to his newly-wed wife. A bright, large cabochon ring, which he gave her, was also depicted in the painting.The painting has been described as the "Art Deco Mona Lisa" as Marjorie has nearly identical corners of the mouth and eyes as well as the shape of eyes and eyebrows with Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa thus evoking the same enigmatic smile. Lempicka was known for combining modern elements with old ones in a classical style. Her paintings were created by strictly applying Renaissance and Cubist patterns.