Portrait of Matilde Rouvière

Carles Pellicer painted and drew his mother, probably the most important woman and person in his life, on several occasions.

This painting dates from 1890, when the young Pellicer was a student of William Bouguereau at the Académie Julian in Paris.Representation of the female figure in the works of Pellicer is a frequently recurring theme: idealised women, allegories, mythological figures.

The attention to the minute detail of Matilde Rouvière’s clothing, her dress, her headdress, her jewels, the fan she is holding in her hand ... aim to demonstrate the preciousness and wealth that surrounded high bourgeoisie families, such as the Rouvière family. The figure is set in an interior with a neutral background, where only some long, plain curtains are seen, and the fabrics that decorate the interior of the room have a delicate, floral print that suggests a sumptuous interior.