JOHANN MELCHIOR WYRSCH attr.

Attributed to JOHANN MELCHIOR WYRSCH PORTRAIT OF AN UNKNOWN WOMAN IN BROWN DRESS Attributed to JOHANN MELCHIOR WYRSCH Buochs 1732 – 1798 Buochs Oil on canvas, with original 18th-century frame 67 x 55 cm / 26.4 x 21.7 inches, framed 80.5 x 66.5 cm / 31.7 x 26.2 inches PROVENANCE Sweden, private collection ON THE DATING AND ATTRIBUTION OF THE PORTRAIT The year 1775 holds particular importance for all enthusiasts and connoisseurs of French history: it marks the coronation of Louis XVI, a monarch whose reign symbolizes the twilight of the Ancien Régime before the Revolution. Coincidentally, this same year occupies a significant place in fashion history: it was indeed in the cathedral of Reims, during the king's consecration ceremony, that Marie Antoinette appeared before the court in a sumptuous ensemble. However, it was not only her dress that drew attention. Her hairstyle—a tall and voluminous structure composed of hair, ribbons, and feathers—immediately captivated Paris and imposed fashion trends throughout Europe. The author of this masterpiece was Léonard Autié (1751–1820), a hairdresser who elevated the art of coiffure to a true art form. Born in the small town of Pamiers, in southern France, he moved to Paris in the early 1770s, where he quickly gained a reputation as the court's best stylist. It was to him that Marie Antoinette entrusted the creation of her iconic hairstyles, which would later become the distinctive symbols of her era. This hairstyle became known as the "pouf," and, as the celebrated fashion historian Alexandre Vassiliev rightly pointed out, the presence of such a coiffure in a painted portrait provides a highly accurate method for dating 18th-century works. The same applies to this extraordinary portrait of an unknown woman in a brown dress, originating from our gallery's collection, the creation of which has been precisely identified by Vassiliev, placing it between the years 1775–1776. The painting comes from a private collection in Sweden, which has traditionally led to its attribution to the Swedish school of painting. However, this attribution required further examination. The painting style exhibits characteristics of various national schools—French? Swiss? Perhaps influenced by southern German masters? It is here that the invaluable expertise of Dr. Bodo Hofstetter, a renowned specialist in 18th-century portraiture, proved fundamental. He was the one who attributed the portrait to Johann Melchior Wyrsch (1732–1798). JOHANN MELCHIOR WYRSCH AND HIS INFLUENCE ON THE ART OF BESANÇON The name of Johann Melchior Wyrsch (1732–1798) occupies a prominent place in the history of 18th-century portraiture. Born in Switzerland, he began his artistic career in Lucerne, but it was in France that he reached full professional maturity. From 1763, Wyrsch lived and worked in Besançon, becoming the official portraitist of the local aristocracy, bourgeoisie, and artistic circles. His style represents a subtle balance between the academic tradition of French portraiture and Swiss realistic precision, making his works deeply expressive and highly accurate in rendering physiognomic traits. As his biographer pointed out: «Pendant les vingt années qu’il a passées en France, Wyrsch peignit la plupart des familles un peu fortunées de sa province d’adoption, ou les excellents portraits de ce maître sont considérés, dans une société qui se renouvelle si vite, comme des titres d’ancienneté.» (“During the twenty years he spent in France, Wyrsch portrayed most of the wealthier families in his adopted province, where the superb portraits of this master are considered, in a society that renews itself so quickly, as titles of antiquity.”) (Wey, 1906, p. X) Besançon, where Wyrsch spent the most fruitful years of his career, was then experiencing a period of artistic flourishing. In 1773, together with Luc-François Breton (1731–1800), he founded the Academy of Painting and Sculpture, an institution that played a crucial role in the development of the region's cultural life. The abundance of commissions allowed the artist to refine his pictorial language, making him one of the most important portrait painters in France, although his work was not directly linked to Paris. Wyrsch's work laid the foundation for the development of the portrait genre in the Franche-Comté region, which, unlike the grandiose and idealized portraits of Paris, is distinguished by a refined sobriety, meticulous attention to detail, and subtle psychological depth. In this context, our "Portrait of an Unknown Woman in Brown Dress" stands as an excellent example, combining the elegance of the French Rococo with Swiss precision in rendering details.