Portrait Of An Aristocrat In The Habit Of The Order Of The Holy Spirit, French School Circa 1770.

A bust-length portrait of an aristocrat, shown three-quarters to the left, dressed in a sumptuous blue velvet coat richly embroidered with gold and crossed by the broad red sash of the royal orders. On his chest is the star-studded plaque of the Order of the Holy Spirit, the highest distinction of the French monarchy, reserved for princes of the blood and the most prominent lords of the realm. The sitter, wearing a powdered wig with side curls, adopts a dignified and measured pose. His direct and calm gaze animates a face with delicately nuanced complexions. The modeling of the nose, the fineness of the lips, and the subtle treatment of the eyelids testify to a trained hand, familiar with the art of aristocratic portraiture. The lace of the jabot, executed with precision in a play of slightly raised white highlights and gray shadows, contrasts with the decorative richness of the gold embroidery, applied in a more substantial material. The subtly modulated brown-green background isolates the figure and reinforces its presence. Stylistic analysis: The work is firmly rooted in the tradition of French portraiture from the 1760s to the 1780s. The quality of the flesh tones, the treatment of the fabrics, and the balanced composition evoke the work of Parisian workshops specializing in portraits of the high nobility during the reign of Louis XV and the early years of Louis XVI. The iconography—embroidered coat, red ribbon, and star-studded plaque—corresponds to the official representations of high-ranking dignitaries holding the Order of the Holy Spirit. In its composition and physical type, the portrait shares similarities with certain known portraits of Charles-Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne, Duke of Bouillon. It could be a workshop version or an interpretation based on the same iconographic prototype circulating in aristocratic circles of the period. However, in the absence of painted inscriptions or documented provenance, identification remains tentative. Condition: Antique canvas in good condition. Fine, regular craquelure consistent with age. Presence of old handwritten inscriptions, intentionally erased, on the reverse of the stretcher. Later oval giltwood frame. Dimensions: Image size: 63 × 52 cm; Framed size: 71.5 × 60 cm