French School, 19th Century - Portrait Of A Man - Oil On Heavy Cardboard

A 19th-century portrait of a man with long hair and a mustache. The man is dressed in a fur coat and wears a beret. This oil painting on heavy cardboard is characteristic of the 19th-century style, both in the natural pose of the model and in the treatment of features and light. The following dedication can be read on the back of the work: "This painting is for Jacqueline (illegible). C. (illegible)." This recent inscription provides no information about the artist. However, the quality of execution, the mastery of the drawing, and the delicacy of the brushstrokes attest to the work of an accomplished painter. This work deserves further study and authentication, as its artistic merit suggests the hand of a very good 19th-century artist.