Portrait of the Marquis d’Afflitto by Tamara de Lempicka

The expression of elegant masculinity and worldly arrogance finds its finest illustration in this remarkable portrait of a man. The talented creator Tamara de Lempicka shakes up the traditional codes of male representation by injecting a good dose of modern mannerism. With the canvas entitled “Portrait of the Marquis d’Afflitto (Lempicka)”, the painter delivers an emblematic work where the geometrization of shapes serves the magnetic charisma of a contemporary dandy evolving in a highly stylized environment.

A man with a dark gaze and slicked-back brown hair is seated in a nonchalant and tilted posture. He is dressed in a deep night blue evening suit whose reflections highlight the athletic build of his shoulders. His impeccable white shirt contrasts sharply with a burgundy satin bow tie. His right arm rests on his bent knee while his left hand hangs carelessly in the foreground. His piercing eyes and angular features lend great severity to his face. Behind him, a plant background composed of immense stylized tropical leaves in green and yellow hues accentuates the exoticism of the scene.

The artist’s know-how shines in the rigorous construction of anatomical lines of force. She employs a neat pictorial technique to create cylindrical light gradients of mathematical precision. This rendering of volumes gives the silhouette an exceptional dynamism and a striking visual realism.