Rosanna Lefeuvre looked through the rich examples of fabrics and draperies in the Louvre painting collection. This gave rise to The corsage, a composition by the artist on a bust supporting a dress in tulle and draped velvet.
She was winner of the Salon de Montrouge in 2019 and works with photography and textile design as her preferred
medium. This commission by the Louvre contributes to her continuing experimentation. She lingered over accurately depicting the beauty of two pieces of fabric, inspired by the subtle layering of Hans Memling and the dress of The Milk Maid by Greuze.
Each engraving technique has been carefully chosen: the scratched aquatint accurately renders the velvet's softness, its depth and how it falls, whereas the photogravure allows fine detail and a lightness that illustrates how fine the tulle is. The choice of vibrant colours sets a bright, electric, contrasted light on this traditional motif that brings contemporary aptness to the work and leads it towards abstraction.
The ink work, laid down by layering, requires slow and meticulous work that the artisans must start over again with each print. Each print is therefore unique, it is haute couture.
