French Miniature Circa 1790: Portrait Of A Gentleman In A Frock Coat, 7.2 × 6.2 Cm

FRENCH SCHOOL, circa 1790
PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN IN A RIDING COAT

FRENCH SCHOOL, circa 1790

Watercolour and gouache, no glass, metal frame
7.2 × 6.2 cm / 2.83 × 2.44 in

PROVENANCE
Private collection, France

ABOUT THE MINIATURE
This finely executed portrait miniature, likely painted around 1790, captures the face of a young gentleman dressed in a riding coat—a garment that epitomizes the Anglomania sweeping through French elite circles in the final decades of the Ancien Régime. The work belongs to the tradition of French portraiture, yet its iconography and costume speak directly to the influence of British culture on continental taste.

The sitter is shown wearing a deep brown double-breasted redingote—a riding coat originally of English origin, adopted and adapted by the French aristocracy and fashionable bourgeoisie. The coat is closely tailored, its lapels sharply turned, and its high-set buttons hint at both military precision and sporting utility. Beneath the coat, a glimpse of a bright orange waistcoat adds a flash of color, while a lavishly pleated white cravat softens the otherwise structured silhouette.

Of particular interest is the sitter’s hair: not powdered or tied in a queue, but worn naturally—slightly tousled, cropped, and subtly voluminous at the sides. This marks a break from the powdered wigs of the previous generation and aligns with new ideals of natural masculinity and British simplicity.

THE CONTEXT: ANGLLOMANIA AND THE NEW MASCULINITY
By the 1780s, French fashion had entered a phase of radical transformation. Influenced by English sporting attire, the aristocracy and urban elites began to reject the ornate styles of the ancien court in favor of garments that conveyed practicality, reserve, and a gentlemanly sense of leisure. This Anglomanie extended beyond fashion into gardening, politics, and manners, but clothing remained its most visible expression.

The redingote, derived from the English riding coat, became the cornerstone of the new masculine silhouette. Cut high under the arms for freedom of movement and constructed from thick woolens, the coat married function and elegance. As noted in contemporary sources, by the early 19th century this riding coat evolved into what would become the tailcoat, bridging the gap between countryside and city, between practicality and fashion.

This miniature, though anonymous, is a testament to that cultural moment. It records not only the features of a specific individual but also the values of a generation that found modern identity in simplicity, sobriety, and British style.