André Louis Mestrallet (1874-1968) Portrait Of A Boy In A Sailor Suit 1910 Cabin Boy

This oil portrait, painted in 1910, depicts a young boy in a three-quarter view wearing a meticulously detailed navy blue sailor suit. The attire features a characteristic striped collar, an anchor embroidered on the left sleeve, and light-colored stripes on the cuffs, while the subject holds a "bachi" (sailor cap) under his right arm. The face, rendered with precise realism, stands out against a dark, sober background, highlighting a direct gaze and a confident posture. The work is presented in a richly carved gilded wood frame and bears the artist's signature along with the date in the upper left corner of the canvas.

The choice of the sailor suit aligns perfectly with the conventions of bourgeois portraiture during the Belle Époque, a time when this outfit became a symbol of elegance and distinction for children from wealthy families. By capturing youth in such a neat and disciplined uniform, the bourgeois portrait aimed to emphasize not only the family's social status but also the values of discipline and education prevalent at the time.

André Louis Mestrallet was a French painter and antique dealer born in 1874 and deceased in 1968. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he studied under the direction of Léon Bonnat, from whom he inherited a great mastery of academic portraiture. Based in Paris, he became known for his portraits of the bourgeoisie and his landscapes, regularly exhibiting his work at the Salon des Artistes Français.

Stretcher dimensions: 74 x 54 cm

Frame dimensions: 85 x 67 cm

Photos taken in natural light.
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