Paris · Painting
André Derain, Portrait of Madame Paul Guillaume in a Large Hat
Musée de l'Orangerie · Paris, France
After painting Paul Guillaume's portrait, Derain went on to paint one of his wife, Domenica. Everything about her, from her clothing to her earrings and watch, signals the wealth befitting the wife of a leading art dealer of the day.
In the background, a sketch of the harlequin and Pierrot figures Derain had painted for Paul Guillaume is visible, which suggests this portrait was painted inside the Guillaume home. That harlequin-and-Pierrot painting is also held by the Orangerie, worth seeking out if it's on view.
The painting itself is even more striking in person than in reproduction. Domenica reportedly disliked Picasso's Cubist work but adored Derain's paintings, and this portrait is said to have been hung in the best spot in her bedroom as soon as it was finished.