Madame Lerolle1882 · Study 1969.54

Context from the museum

The floral still life of roses enlivens the otherwise restrained palette used by the artist in this portrait. By the time he painted Madeleine Escudier Lerolle (1856–1937), wife of artist Henry Lerolle, the French artist Henri Fantin-Latour had established a steady clientele in Britain for his floral still lifes, arranged in modest vases and depicted against a neutral ground; he included such a still life in this portrait. Madeleine Lerolle and her daughter Yvonne are the subjects of another painting at the CMA by Albert Besnard in gallery 219.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Madame Lerolle is 78.9 cm wide and 108.2 cm high, equivalent to approximately 31.1 × 42.6 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.73:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.85 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 26.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 110.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Madame Lerolle in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on fabric, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 78.9 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?