(Vrsac 1859-1957 Vienna)
Before the ball, oil on canvas laid on board, 65 x 50 cm, oval, framed, (Rei)

Letter of authenticity issued by Dr. Petar Petrovic available.

Pavle Jovanovic studied at the Vienna Academy from 1876 to 1883 with Carl L. Müller. Like his teacher, he painted oriental scenes. He executed works for King Alexander of Serbia depicting scenes of the Serbian Uprisings. In Vienna, Jovanovic concentrated primarily on portraits. His most important subject was Emperor Francis Joseph I. His works were shown at the exhibitions in Munich, Berlin, London and Vienna, and hand in Budapest, Munich, Vienna, London and Belgrade.

Dr. Petar Petrovic writes: This portrait depicts a young lady in an interior; she is wearing a festive dress à la française, from the time of Louis XVI; she’s represented frontally, en face, seated, with her legs crossed and her hands on her lap. In her hands she’s holding a business card or a letter. She’s looking directly at the viewer….In the background we can see some parts of the interior, a sitting room with furnishing, wall coverings, a Biedermeier chest of drawers… The artistic characteristics of the work, with a secure, vivid, smooth line, an even composition, a luminous coloring and the impression of an ideal atmosphere correspond to the creative period of the turn of the century.This portrait, woman in a ball dress, corresponds to the kind of portraits the famous Serbian painter Pavle Paja Jovanovic (Vrsac 1859-1957 Vienna) painted during the first and second decade of the last century. In this work, some elements from his Viennese Atelier-Salon, which often appear in his works from the first decade of the 20th century, can be recognized.