Marchesa Luisa Casati with a Greyhound
Giovanni Boldini, 1908Fine art reproduction on 200gsm matte paper. A5 to A1, plus 12x16, 18x24 and 24x36 inches.She wanted to be a living work of art. Boldini made sure the world would remember her that way.
Giovanni Boldini painted the Marchesa Luisa Casati with a Greyhound in 1908. Casati was the most talked-about woman in Europe, an Italian heiress who walked leashed cheetahs through Venice and wore live snakes as jewellery. Here she poses in black, a wide plumed hat framing her pale face, a spray of violets at her waist.
Look closely at the greyhound pressed against her skirts. Boldini paints it in a few fast, dark strokes, so the dog and the dress almost melt into one shape. That restless brushwork made him the favourite portraitist of Paris society. Casati spent a fortune on portraits of herself by artists across Europe, and she sat for Boldini more than once. Notice his signature and the date at lower left.
The look
Black satin, smoky violet and a warm brown ground, set on a black border. Glamorous, dark and full of movement. Portrait wall art for a dressing room, a hallway or a dark academia study, and vintage wall art with a touch of old money drama.
Sizes
| Size | Centimetres | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| A5 | 14.8 x 21 cm | 5.8 x 8.3 in |
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 cm | 8.3 x 11.7 in |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 cm | 11.7 x 16.5 in |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 cm | 16.5 x 23.4 in |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 cm | 23.4 x 33.1 in |
| 12 x 16 in | 30.5 x 40.6 cm | 12 x 16 in |
| 18 x 24 in | 45.7 x 61 cm | 18 x 24 in |
| 24 x 36 in | 61 x 91.4 cm | 24 x 36 in |
Custom sizes on request. Inch sizes have a slightly different shape from A sizes, so the edges trim a little. Size guide
Frames and delivery
Choose a black, white or oak frame, or order the print unframed. It is printed locally in the UK, Europe, the US, Canada or Australia, at the location closest to you. Free tracked shipping, no customs fees. Printing and delivery
Gifting
A striking gift for a birthday, a housewarming or a new dressing room. A portrait of a woman who refused to be ordinary.
More like this
More portraits in our Portrait Paintings collection: Madame X by John Singer Sargent and The Mask by Bruno Croatto. For another woman in black, see The Bat Woman by Albert Joseph Penot.
