Stunning Portraits by the Italian Master, Giovanni Boldini

Giovanni Boldini (December 31, 1842 – July 11, 1931) was a masterful Italian painter who is known mostly for his stunning and elegant portraits.

He painted with a beautifully fluid style and amazing use of color to render form in his paintings. In fact, a Time magazine referred to him as the “Master of Swish” in 1933 due to his flowing style. His style appears to be similar to that of John Singer Sargent.

Much like Sargent, Boldini’s portrait paintings have a beautiful realism yet a painterly quality. Up close, you can see all his strokes of color and nothing appears overdone.

Below are some of Boldini’s portraits. Observe his use of color in the paintings and the overall color harmonies. In many of his portraits, he used small bursts of vibrant color amongst areas of grays and browns to stunning effect. Also, take note of how well Boldini balanced the color temperature in the paintings.

Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, A Guitar Player, 1873
Giovanni Boldini, A Guitar Player, 1873
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, Woman At A Piano
Giovanni Boldini, Woman At A Piano
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, The Letter, 1873
Giovanni Boldini, The Letter, 1873
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, The Devine In Blue
Giovanni Boldini, The Devine In Blue
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, Morning Letter, 1884
Giovanni Boldini, Morning Letter, 1884
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, Lady In Rose, 1916
Giovanni Boldini, Lady In Rose, 1916
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, Lady In Red Coat, 1878
Giovanni Boldini, Lady In Red Coat, 1878
Giovanni Boldini Woman | Portrait Inspiration | Giovanni Boldini, Girl With Black Cat, 1885
Giovanni Boldini, Girl With Black Cat, 1885
Giovanni Boldini, Girl Reading In A Salon, 1876
Giovanni Boldini, Girl Reading In A Salon, 1876

Whilst Boldini is known for his portraits, I find his paintings of other genres to be equally stunning. 

Giovanni Boldini, The Rose In Vase Of Sassonia
Giovanni Boldini, The Rose In Vase Of Sassonia
Giovanni Boldini, Still Life With Rose
Giovanni Boldini, Still Life With Rose
Giovanni Boldini, The Great Road In The Villas Combes, 1873
Giovanni Boldini, The Great Road In The Villas Combes, 1873
Giovanni Boldini, Statue In The Park Of Versailles
Giovanni Boldini, Statue In The Park Of Versailles

You can see more of Giovanni Boldini’s paintings here

Want to Learn More?

You might be interested in my Painting Academy course. I’ll walk you through the time-tested fundamentals of painting. It’s perfect for absolute beginner to intermediate painters.

Thanks for Reading!

I appreciate you taking the time to read this post and I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to share it with friends.

Happy painting!

Dan Scott

Draw Paint Academy

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Dan Scott is the founder of Draw Paint Academy. He's a self-taught artist from Australia with a particular interest in landscape painting. Draw Paint Academy is run by Dan and his wife, Chontele, with the aim of helping you get the most out of the art life. You can read more on the About page.

11 comments on “Stunning Portraits by the Italian Master, Giovanni Boldini”

  1. I feel like I’ve been living in a cave. I’ve never seen these works and I’m completely blown away. the detail, the light, the “swish.” absolutely fabulous. Thank you so much for giving me this.

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