Portrait Of A Gentleman In A Blue Coat, Pastel On Paper, Louis XVI Period, C. 1780

Pastel on paper from the end of the 18th century, Louis XVI period, representing a gentleman in a blue coat, perhaps from the Dupin de Saint André family according to a long note on the back written towards the end of the 19th century by one of its owners, who would have received it as an inheritance from his great-uncle, who himself had it from his maternal inheritance. Here we find the representative canons well established earlier in the century by Quentin de la Tour: bust portrait in luminous colors, closeness and intelligence of the gaze, finally a particularly lively touch which freely but faithfully renders the skin tone. The drawing, having undergone an old and "clumsy" cleaning to quote the note, presents stains and discolorations, especially on the periphery, in the upper right part. The photos faithfully reflect this. "As is", it nevertheless remains the testimony of an excellent artist, of a "master in the art of pastel", if we are to believe the appreciation of the painter Clément Gontier (1876-1918), student of Jean-Paul Laurens (1838-1921). The glass (slightly bubbled) which protects the drawing and the frame are from the period. Height 520mm overall / 440 mm visible Width 440 mm overall / 350 mm visible