Portrait Sketch of a Young Girl

Carolus-Duran (Charles-Émile Auguste Durand) was one of the most influential portrait painters in Paris during the 1870s and 1880s, serving as the teacher of John Singer Sargent and numerous other painters who sought to learn his method of alla prima painting — building the portrait in a single session with minimal revision. This sketch portrait of a young girl, dated 1885, demonstrates the method in its most essential form: rapid, confident brushwork capturing the essential character of the subject without labored finish. Carolus-Duran's approach represented a deliberate rejection of academic layering in favor of Velázquez-inspired directness.

The sketch quality — indicated by 'Portrait Sketch' in the title — shows Carolus-Duran's alla prima method at full clarity. Brushstrokes are visible and expressive, modeling the face through tonal relationships rather than careful blending. The quick capture of the girl's expression and bearing demonstrates the technique's strength: immediacy and psychological truth achieved through technical confidence.