Portrait Of A Young Man In A Black Hat, Mid-19th Century

Portrait of a young man in a black hat
Oil on canvas, signed lower left Bilfeldt (?) and dated 1852 or 62
French or German school
Dimensions: 61x40 cm

Portrait of a man that demonstrates a refined realism, typical of 19th century academic painting. The man, dressed in a dark suit enhanced with a bow tie, wears a large black hat that gives him an appearance that is both romantic and intellectual. The three-quarter pose, the soft light and the meticulous treatment of the gaze underline an obvious psychological intention: the painter seeks to capture the personality of the model as much as his appearance.
The face, very expressive, is highlighted by a warm and nuanced palette. Note the finesse of the modeling in the skin tone, the work of the shadows in the eyes, and the careful contrast with the neutral background.
This type of portrait is part of the bourgeois tradition of the 19th century commissioned portrait, as it developed under the July Monarchy and the Second Empire.
It evokes the works of painters such as Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin, Franz Xaver Winterhalter (in his sober vein), or even certain Central European artists trained in the neoclassical and romantic spirit.

Very good general condition.