Tête de femme (Portrait of a Woman)
Drawing/Work on paper • Kees van Dongen (Dutch-French, 1877–1968)
Style & Movement
Fauvism/School of Paris; specifically the artist's later, more elegant and stylized period often associated with high-society portraiture.
Medium & Technique
Ink wash (lavis) and watercolor on paper; executed with fluid brushstrokes and calligraphic lines typical of the artist's late style.
Creation Period
Circa 1940-1950
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 50 x 35 cm; vertical portrait format on deckled edge paper.
Subject Description
A stylized portrait of a woman with large, almond-shaped eyes and bobbed dark hair. The composition focuses on a swan-like neck and simplified facial features, reflecting the glamorous 'Années Folles' aesthetic Van Dongen popularized.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; significant foxing and moisture staining are visible in the upper right quadrant and sporadically throughout the margins.
Estimated Market Value
$15,000 - $25,000 USD (subject to authentication and condition report)
Auction Estimate
$10,000 - $18,000 USD
Provenance History
Bearing signature 'van Dongen' in the lower right. Likely sourced from a private collection or European gallery specializing in 20th-century Modernism.
Art Historical Significance
Van Dongen was a leading figure of Fauvism. These later ink drawings represent his evolution into a chronicler of Parisian elite society, emphasizing elegance and seductive charm over the aggressive color of his early 1905-1910 period.
Notable Features
Distinctive fluid calligraphic quality in the hair; wide-set eyes which are a signature motif of the artist; deckled edges of the paper suggest a high-quality heavy-weight stock.
Condition Issues
Prominent brown foxing (fungal growth/oxidation) especially in the top right corner; minor paper undulation; potential light-strike/yellowing from non-archival mounting.
Conservation Recommendations
Requires professional deacidification and foxing treatment by a paper conservator. Should be re-mounted using acid-free materials and UV-protective glazing.