18th-Century Portrait of a Man, Oil on Canvas, Antique Louis XVI Period

  
Support: Original canvas on its period wooden stretcher. Subject: Portrait of a man, bourgeois or notable. Period: 18th century / Louis XVI period (French Revolution). Dimensions: 66 cm x 52 cm.

Frame: No (sold without frame). Condition: In its original state / Antique (see description). Magnificent and authentic oil on canvas from the late 18th century depicting a bust portrait of a notable or bourgeois gentleman from the Louis XVI period.

The sitter wears a brown/terracotta cloth jacket trimmed with delicate white lace, over a gray-blue shirt with puffed sleeves and a white muslin necktie. His hair is styled back and slightly powdered, typical of 1780s fashion. The painting has a very strong presence and shows fine mastery of light, especially on the face and the drape of the clothing.

Canvas dimensions: 66 x 52 cm.

Condition report (sold as is). The work has remained on its original canvas and keyed wooden stretcher (see photos of the back). The painted surface shows an old network of craquelure, attesting to its authenticity. A few small losses and areas of paint loss should be noted, mainly in the upper left and along the edges (visible in close-up photos). The painting would benefit from a light cleaning/varnishing to reveal its full brilliance, but it is quite charming in its current “as found” condition. The photos are an integral part of the description, please examine them carefully.