The young princess

Description of the artwork

During his first trip to the East, which he began in 1858 and did not complete until 1860, Carl Haag devoted himself to the careful observation and study of landscapes and costumes. Our delicate portrait of a young princess, with its detailed and finely rendered fabrics, bears witness to this meticulous observation of costume. The painter chose to depict his model in three-quarter profile, her gentle, clear gaze fixed on the viewer while her right hand rests delicately on the rich adornment around her neck. The gold pendants falling on her forehead catch the light and enchant the eye. The harmonious combination of greens, reds and browns visible in our watercolour testifies to Haag's skill as a colourist, who developed new techniques to obtain the desired colours by superimposing different layers of wash and then scraping off the excess. The subtly treated background, with its gradation to focus the light on the young princess's face, and the light in this watercolour illustrate the artist's great mastery of this technique. This admirable technical mastery was recognised by all, as he was elected a member of the Royal Watercolour Society in 1853.