Portrait of Teresa Kicka 1841

Józef Simmler painted this portrait of Teresa Kicka using oil on canvas. The artist has blended the pigment with a medium, probably linseed oil, to create a smooth, almost enamel-like surface. This technique, favoured by academic painters, allowed for a high degree of detail, capturing the texture of Teresa Kicka’s velvet dress and the delicate lace of her bonnet. But it wasn't just the artist who was skilled; the dressmaker and lace maker also possessed a sophisticated understanding of their materials and processes. The rich red of the velvet signals Kicka’s wealth and status, while the lace bonnet, likely handmade, speaks to the culture of skilled labor that underpinned fashionable society. Simmler's meticulous rendering of these materials elevates them to a level of importance equal to the sitter herself. By paying close attention to the materials and making processes evident in this painting, we gain insight into the social and economic context of Simmler’s time, and challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.