French pastel portrait of a girl dated 1958 - 18½" x 12½"

A lovely pastel portrait of a young girl, signed and dated 1958 at the lower center, presented under glass in a petite arched giltwood and composition frame with a floral crest. The image is softly modeled in pale greens and honey blond tones on a light ground, the sitter shown bust length with a direct gaze, typical of mid 20th century French or Continental school. The frame predates the work, late 19th to early 20th century, with roses, foliate friezes, and ribbon-tied rosettes.

Pastel portraiture enjoyed a long tradition from the 18th century in France, prized for its velvety surface and lifelike color, and it remained a favored medium for intimate likenesses well into the 20th century. The French date inscription suggests a Continental origin, while the frame’s decorative vocabulary blends Belle Époque and Louis XVI Revival taste, marrying floral garlands with an arch that recalls late Victorian sensibilities. Crafted in carved wood with composition ornament and gilded finish, the frame expresses the period’s savoir-faire and would originally have held a cabinet portrait or devotional print before being repurposed for this 1958 likeness.

This piece sits beautifully on a mantel, atop a secrétaire, or layered within a salon-style gallery wall, where the arched silhouette softens rectilinear groupings. In a nursery, dressing room, or hallway vignette, the warm gilt adds quiet glow and the intimate scale invites close viewing. Keep it out of direct sunlight to preserve the pastel’s delicate surface, and pair with other gilt frames, porcelain, or a demilune console to echo its gentle curve and floral ornament.

Condition and wear consistent with age and use.
Approx. overall 18½" 12½" 1¼"
Approx. overall 47cm 32cm 3cm