The Fabre Museum in Montpellier has continued its impressive acquisition program with the purchase of a notable portrait by Henri Lehmann, adding to its growing collection of 19th-century French art. The museum acquired the "Portrait of a Young Girl" from Étienne Bréton at Saint-Honoré Art Consulting in Paris, demonstrating the institution's ongoing commitment to expanding its holdings.
The newly acquired work, titled "Portrait of a Young Girl (Louise de Kielmann?)," was painted in 1833 and measures 46 x 38 cm in oil on canvas. This acquisition represents a significant addition to the museum's collection of works by Henri Lehmann (1814-1882), who was among the most distinguished students of the renowned French painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.
The Fabre Museum has maintained remarkable momentum in its acquisition activities, continuing the dynamic approach that has characterized the institution in recent years. This latest purchase follows more than a year of active collecting since the museum's previous major acquisition announcements in June 2024.
Henri Lehmann's connection to Ingres makes this acquisition particularly meaningful for the Montpellier museum. The institution already holds an impressive representation of Ingres' work, along with pieces by several other artists from the Ingres school, making Lehmann's portrait a natural fit for the collection. Prior to this acquisition, the museum already owned two paintings and three drawings by Lehmann, establishing a solid foundation of the artist's work within the collection.
Lehmann, who lived from 1814 to 1882, was part of the academic tradition that flourished in 19th-century France under the influence of masters like Ingres. His work exemplifies the precise draftsmanship and careful attention to detail that characterized this artistic movement. The portrait's subject, possibly Louise de Kielmann as suggested by the title's notation, reflects the artist's skill in capturing the subtle characteristics and personality of his sitters.
The 1833 date of the portrait places it early in Lehmann's career, when he would have been just 19 years old, making it a particularly interesting example of his developing artistic abilities. The work demonstrates the technical proficiency and artistic sensibility that would establish Lehmann as one of the notable academic painters of his generation.
This acquisition is part of a broader pattern of growth at the Fabre Museum, which has been actively expanding its collection across various periods and styles of art. The museum's acquisition strategy appears to focus on filling gaps in its holdings while strengthening areas where it already has significant representation, as evidenced by this addition to its collection of Ingres and his followers.
The purchase through Saint-Honoré Art Consulting in Paris highlights the museum's engagement with the contemporary art market and its commitment to working with established dealers to identify and acquire important works. This professional approach to collecting ensures that the museum can compete effectively for significant pieces while maintaining the scholarly standards expected of a major cultural institution.
The Fabre Museum's continued acquisition activity reflects not only the institution's financial health but also its vision for serving as a comprehensive repository of French artistic heritage. By adding works like Lehmann's portrait, the museum enhances its ability to tell the complete story of French academic painting and its evolution throughout the 19th century.
Visitors to the museum will now have the opportunity to see this intimate portrait alongside the existing works by Lehmann and the broader collection of academic paintings. The work's relatively small scale and personal subject matter provide an interesting contrast to some of the larger, more formal academic compositions in the collection, offering insights into the range of subjects and approaches employed by artists of this school.
The acquisition also demonstrates the ongoing importance of regional museums in preserving and presenting French cultural heritage. The Fabre Museum's active collecting program ensures that significant works remain accessible to the public while contributing to scholarly understanding of 19th-century French art.
