Biedermeier School Early 19th Century Oil - Portrait of a Gentleman

Description

A striking bust-length portrait of a young man, depicted against a softly graduated blue-grey ground. The sitter is rendered with considerable presence - dark, curling hair, a neat moustache, and an alert, slightly searching gaze that lends him a Romantic air. He is dressed in a dark coat with a black stock and white cravat, the restrained elegance of his dress entirely typical of the Biedermeier period. The handling has a pleasing naivety which is direct and unaffected, with warm, boldly modelled flesh tones that sit closer to the provincial folk portrait tradition than to academic finish. This honest, unsophisticated quality is a large part of its charm, and speaks to the rich culture of regional portraiture that flourished across Central Europe during the 1820s-1840s. Presented in an ebonised frame. A characterful and appealing example of Biedermeier folk portraiture. Unsigned. On canvas on stretchers.

Condition

There is some craquelure to the surface. The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration. The canvas does appear to have been relined. Marks and scuffs to the frame.

Size

37 x 32cm (14.6" x 12.6")
Framed Size: 47 x 42cm (18.5" x 16.5")