Portrait, oil on canvas of an old woman, by Louis Joseph Digout, 19th

Portrait of a woman, dated 1883, presented in a gilded stucco wooden frame with an oval view. The work is signed L. Digout. It is by Louis-Joseph Digout (1821-?), a portrait painter listed on page 585 of volume IV of Bénézit, of which here is an excerpt: “Digout Louis-Joseph: born on 20 July 1821 in Bourges (Cher). Portrait painter. In 1841, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts and was a student of R. Cazes. That same year, he exhibited at the Salon de Paris: A Mansard. He exhibited until 1868.” The frame, in gilded stucco wood, is richly decorated: – decoration of acanthus leaves and crossed ribbons, – fluted band, – beaded filet, – sanded background around the oval view. The gilding is original, with a consistent patina and a lovely play of matte/gloss characteristic of the 19th century. Condition of the canvas. – The canvas shows some minor surface wear, particularly in the dark areas. – Notable: a few small raised marks, mainly visible in the upper right part of the face and on the background. – No major holes or tears are visible, but a light cleaning could enhance the reading of the portrait and homogenise the contrasts. Condition of the frame. The photos show an old frame preserved in its original state, with defects to note for an honest description: – weakened corners, with chips of stucco and missing gilding (notably the lower right corner and the lower part of the frame), – wear and loss of gilding on the reliefs, – visible cracks and old repairs on the back, – backing paper partially missing, indicating an old mounting, – original or old fasteners, nails, and spacers remaining in place. A small consolidation work on the frame could be considered, without the need for heavy restoration.