Lenique, Andree - portrait of a lady

This miniature portrait is signed "Lenique" for Clemence Andree Lenique de Francheville (1875-1945). She was born in France.

Andree Lenique is recorded as having exhibited at the Third Annual Exhibition of the American Society of Miniature Painters in New York in 1902. The NY Times described her entry as; "A highly wrought, seated profile portrait by a French miniaturist Mlle Andree Lenique deserves attention for the exactness with which the red stained hair, the book on the arm of the modern high-backed fauteuil, and the long chain of coral beads are rendered". See PAINTERS OF MINIATURES.; Third Annual of the American Society at ...  See also that portrait below.

As Miss Andree Lenique, she arrived on SS Moltke 1 Nov 1904, but the passenger list notes that she had previously lived in New York for three years 1901/1904 and her address was 58 W 57th Street New York. She answered two standard question on the passenger list as follows;
Whether a polygamist? - No.
Whether an anarchist? - No.
Thus even in 1904, there were concerns about terrorism!

She must have been quite successful as an artist, as in the 1910 census, she was living with one servant in Manhattan, Ward 19 and gave her occupation as artist/portraitmin. Adjacent 1910 census entries are for a number of other artists/illustrators/painters, so this must have been an artistic area of New York.

This miniature portrait by Lenique is included in the Louvre collection. It is quite different in style, being much more fluid. It may be that her American clients preferred the more exact style referred to by the NY Times.

Anree Lenique is also recorded as an art teacher. She seems to have married a French art dealer living in New York called Franc Boyer de Francheville (9 Jan 1874-?) and they are both recorded in the 1920 census, with him as F B Francheville, are dealer and her described as A L Francheville, portrait painter. Franc was naturalised 4 Jan 1918 and gave his address as 53 W 39th Street. On his 1918 draft card he gave his occupation as art dealer/French teacher.

Andree Lenique worked in New York, where this portrait of an unknown lady was probably painted. Like the portrait by John Ramsier, which appears later in this group, this may be a painting made by copying an earlier larger portrait, or even a daguerreotype portrait, as the costume and hair style seems to be more 19C. 906

December 2021.

This portrait was sold at auction in December 2021 for $500, compared to an estimate of $1000-2000. The price being in my opinion cheap, despite there being two large cracks, on the left and right, but not seriously affecting the sitter.

Described as:

"Important ca 1902 Andree Lenique (Clemence Andree Lenique de Francheville, French/ American 1875-1944) miniature portrait, originally exhibited at the Third Annual Exhibition of the American Society of Miniature Painters in New York City in 1902. 

The NY Times described her entry as "A highly wrought, seated profile portrait by a French miniaturist Mlle Andree Lenique deserves attention for the exactness with which the red stained hair, the book on the arm of the modern high-backed fauteuil, and the long chain of coral beads are rendered", oil on celluloid panel, with original copper jacketed frame with punched design, painting has two cracks outside of the main image, see https://www.nytimes.com/1902/02/02/archives/painters-of-miniatures-third-annual-of-the-american-society-at-the.html and also http://american-miniatures.blogspot.com/2006/04/lenique-andree-portrait-of-lady.html "

The signature is at lower right, as below in the second image.