Classicism portrait miniature of a young lady in a white dress and with a comb in her hair was executed in 1813 by well-known, turn of the 19th century miniaturist, Charles-Guillaume-Alexandre Bourgeois (1759 Amiens - 1832 Paris). He was was a physician, chemist, painter and engraver. He studied painting under Kimly, and engraving from Wille. He learned the composition of colors and succeeded in perfecting them. The artist left a legacy of works on perspective, among which is the "Mémoire sur les lois qui suivent dans leurs combinaisons les couleurs produites par la reflaction de la lumiere".
He exhibited at the Salon of Paris from 1800 to 1824, and lived successively at 530 Rue des Moulins and 24 Place Dauphine. Bourgeois painted a great number of miniatures, of which the majority was bust profiles on a dark blue or black background, which imitated wax relief - very much in fashion of that time.
Schidlof writes that "it would be a mistake, however, to think that Bourgeois only painted in this style. There are known a number of very good miniatures in which the personages are represented full or three quarter face". He also painted portraits in oils.
Schidlof adds: "Bourgeois was a first class miniaturist, who also probably painted on porcelain".

The Louvre houses a series of miniatures by him. Many of Bourgeois' other works can be seen in Museums of Brussels, Caen, Nancy, etc.

Provenance: private collection in South France.

Literature: miniature lexicon by Schidloff; artist lexicon by Bénézit; on-line Wikipedia.

Inscription: signed and dated 1813 on the right edge in the middle lower right.

Technique: painted in oval, gouache on organic wafer, original period inner gilt bronze frame and later added wood frame. 

Measurements: unframed  2 1/4" x 2 7/8"(5,8 x 7,2 cm), full  framed 4 5/8" x 5 1/4"(11,9 x 13,5 cm).

Condition: very good.