17th-Century 'Modello' Portrait Of A Philosopher

17th-Century 'Modello' Portrait Of A PhilosopherAn exceptional 17th century Italian portrait of a bearded philosopher deep in thought. The artist has created this with such skill that it appears hes just about to utter his latest theories. Theres a sense of movement to the piece, which is made even more dramatic by the use of Chiaroscuro a strong contrast of dark and light. On the reverse, you can see several sturdy hand wrought nails, which help to date the painting. And interestingly, its been

a label refers to the Parisian art store of Gustave Sennelier

they tended to be reserved for weddings involving high-class members of society and nobility

14½” x 16½” / 37cm x 42cm

which features foliate corners and a decorative inner border

He’s wearing a black coat with white shirt and cravat in accordance with the fashion of the 1830s

Medium Oil on wood

Fine with no issues

It’s likely that the artist was a keen amateur and perhaps even a friend or family member

Craquelure throughout and a few losses around the edges

Sargent produced a stylish portrait of his teacher in 1879 - a work which is currently in the Met

Size 18” x 21⅓” / 46cm x 54cm

She’s wearing a green robe and looking up to the heavens with a tender expression