Henri Decaisne (1799–1852)
“La Lettre,” 1846
Oil on canvas • Signed & dated mid-right • Presented in its original 19th-century gilt oval frame
Website Description
An exceptionally refined mid-19th-century portrait by Henri Decaisne, one of Belgium’s most respected academic painters and a celebrated figure within the French Salon. Painted in 1846, “La Lettre” captures a serene, intimate moment: a young woman seated against a rich crimson drapery, pausing as she reads a letter. Her expression is soft, poised, almost contemplative—Decaisne’s hallmark ability to convey quiet psychological depth.
Rendered with the precise, luminous technique he learned under Jacques-Louis David and François-Joseph Navez, this portrait bears all the hallmarks of Decaisne’s mature style:
• Impeccably smooth brushwork and classical modeling
• Soft, atmospheric realism of the face and hands
• Delicate attention to costume, with sheer white fabric layered in subtle folds
• A warm, romantic palette, characteristic of his transition from strict Neoclassicism to an early Romantic sensibility
The work remains in its magnificent original antique oval frame, richly carved with roses, foliage, and ribboned flourishes. The frame alone is a work of art—heavy, early, and beautifully detailed—an extraordinary survival of true 19th-century craftsmanship.
The canvas shows a desirable, even craquelure consistent with age, but remains tight and stable on its period stretcher. The back of the painting shows untouched, honest 19th-century construction and old gallery labels—exactly what collectors love to see.
Decaisne was a Knight of the Legion of Honour, a professor at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, and a favorite portraitist among French and Belgian aristocracy. Works by him are housed in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, and numerous European collections.
This is a museum-level portrait—elegant, literary, sophisticated, and incredibly rare to find on the market, especially in this size and frame.
Dimensions
• Canvas: 29” × 24”
• Framed: 39” × 35” (large, statement-making presence)
Why We Love It
This piece feels like stepping into a moment of quiet 19th-century intimacy—a woman mid-thought, mid-sentence, mid-emotion. The palette glows, the artistry is refined, and the frame is simply breathtaking. It is a true heirloom portrait with French-Belgian academic lineage and undeniable presence.
Henri Decaisne (1799–1852)
“La Lettre,” 1846
Oil on canvas • Signed & dated mid-right • Presented in its original 19th-century gilt oval frame
Website Description
An exceptionally refined mid-19th-century portrait by Henri Decaisne, one of Belgium’s most respected academic painters and a celebrated figure within the French Salon. Painted in 1846, “La Lettre” captures a serene, intimate moment: a young woman seated against a rich crimson drapery, pausing as she reads a letter. Her expression is soft, poised, almost contemplative—Decaisne’s hallmark ability to convey quiet psychological depth.
Rendered with the precise, luminous technique he learned under Jacques-Louis David and François-Joseph Navez, this portrait bears all the hallmarks of Decaisne’s mature style:
• Impeccably smooth brushwork and classical modeling
• Soft, atmospheric realism of the face and hands
• Delicate attention to costume, with sheer white fabric layered in subtle folds
• A warm, romantic palette, characteristic of his transition from strict Neoclassicism to an early Romantic sensibility
The work remains in its magnificent original antique oval frame, richly carved with roses, foliage, and ribboned flourishes. The frame alone is a work of art—heavy, early, and beautifully detailed—an extraordinary survival of true 19th-century craftsmanship.
The canvas shows a desirable, even craquelure consistent with age, but remains tight and stable on its period stretcher. The back of the painting shows untouched, honest 19th-century construction and old gallery labels—exactly what collectors love to see.
Decaisne was a Knight of the Legion of Honour, a professor at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, and a favorite portraitist among French and Belgian aristocracy. Works by him are housed in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, and numerous European collections.
This is a museum-level portrait—elegant, literary, sophisticated, and incredibly rare to find on the market, especially in this size and frame.
Dimensions
• Canvas: 29” × 24”
• Framed: 39” × 35” (large, statement-making presence)
Why We Love It
This piece feels like stepping into a moment of quiet 19th-century intimacy—a woman mid-thought, mid-sentence, mid-emotion. The palette glows, the artistry is refined, and the frame is simply breathtaking. It is a true heirloom portrait with French-Belgian academic lineage and undeniable presence.