Miniature Portrait Of A Feldweibel From The Bern Grenadiers – Late 18th Century

Rare late 18th-century period miniature portrait (18th century) likely depicting a senior noncommissioned officer, specifically a Feldweibel (sergeant major) of the prestigious Bern Grenadier Company (Switzerland).

Painted on paper in watercolor and fine gouache by an anonymous artist, this “from life” portrait captures the features of a Swiss soldier. The subject is depicted in a three-quarter view, sporting a well-groomed mustache and looking directly at the viewer. The iconography and the strict adherence to regulations in the uniform allow this work to be precisely dated to around 1792, the year in which the Swiss Confederation’s troops were mobilized in Basel in response to the tensions of the war in Europe.

This elite uniform corresponds perfectly to depictions of Bernese soldiers from the period 1782–1798 (as documented, in particular, in the collections of Franz Feyerabend):

• The coat: A dark blue cloth (here weathered by time) fastened with clasps, accented by a collar and bright red lapels, silver buttons, and a white lace ruff.
• Headgear: An imposing black bicorne adorned with a tricolor cockade secured by a gold braid. The braid is embossed with the distinctive symbol of the elite troops: the flaming grenade. The hat is sumptuously topped with a red and black plume.
• Attributes: The presence of officer/non-commissioned officer epaulets and the hilt of his sword or saber in the foreground.

A personal and historical artifact, this commissioned miniature portrait serves as a direct and unique testament to the Swiss military elite on the eve of the fall of the Old Republic of Bern (1798).

The work is presented in its original oval, blackened, molded wooden frame, protected by its antique domed glass.