Portrait Of A Young Schoolboy Holding A Letter From The Consulate Era

Portrait of a Young Schoolboy Holding a Letter from the Consulate Period

This remarkable portrait from the Neoclassical period depicts a young man in a three-quarter view, facing the viewer with a lively and confident gaze. He is dressed in a uniform jacket or a midnight-blue wool coat with metal buttons, accented by a starched white high collar and turned-back cuffs typical of men’s fashion in the very early 19th century. Under his right arm, he clutches large volumes, affirming his status as a student, young clerk, or secretary.

The central element, which is of great documentary interest, is the letter he delicately holds in his left hand.

The inscription appears to read “To Mr. / Marquet…,” a traditional pictorial detail used to identify the patron or recipient of the office symbolized by the young man.

The work captivates with the simplicity of its composition against a dark background, the attention to anatomical detail, and the precision of the drawing characteristic of the school of Jacques-Louis David’s students.

Oil on canvas

France

circa 1800–1805

Dimensions:

With frame: 70 cm x 58 cm.

Unframed: 60 cm x 51 cm.

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