This is a portrait of a beautiful young woman with short hair swept back wearing an Art Deco emerald and diamond earring. In this painting I wanted to evoke the mood and style of the decadent, glamorous era between the two World Wars.
This is a portrait of Renée Perle, inspired by a black and white photo taken by Jacques-Henri Lartigue circa 1930. She is outdoors in full sun, perhaps in a park or outdoor cafe. I wanted to convey a sense of dazzling mid-day light and how I imagine she must have looked in it. I gave her a bright red sweater setting off a fuzzy white beret and an adorable necklace that wasn't very clear in the photo but I decided it should feature Tahitian black pearls because she would probably have enjoyed those. I have painted Renée several times before and her chic, distinctive style continues to fascinate me.
