Maurice Jacquet (French, b. 1877), Portrait of an Actress

Oil on canvas, signed at lower right, presented in a ornate giltwood frame with gallery plaque affixed at lower center.

Stretcher size 26 x 1 1/4 in.; Frame dimensions 35 3/4 x 31 1/4 in.

From the Historic Collection of Limestone University, Gaffney, South Carolina
Limestone College, now Limestone University, was founded in 1845 in Gaffney, South Carolina, by English-born Baptist minister Dr. Thomas Curtis and his son William. Originally established as the Limestone Springs Female High School, it was among the first women’s colleges in the nation and the very first in the state. The institution found its early roots in a former resort hotel near healing springs, later struggling due to the Civil War and Reconstruction. It revived in 1881 as the Cooper‑Limestone Institute, thanks to benefaction from industrialist Peter Cooper, and adopted the name Limestone College.

Maurice Jacquet was a painter known for his elegant portraits and genre scenes, often depicting stylishly dressed women with a romantic touch. Active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, his works are characterized by soft brushwork, decorative detail, and a refined sense of beauty.

Age cracking, areas of lifting, and scattered flakes.