A fabulous quality watercolour portrait of a gentleman by the Austrian artist Ignaz Rungaldier. The portrait is worked in exquisite detail and is bright and fresh of colour and is signed to the left of the work. Ignaz Rungaldier (1799-1876) was born in Graz, Austria, the son of a goldsmith, Johann Georg Rungaldier. He studied at the Academy in Vienna before becoming a portrait painter, primarily in watercolour but also in miniature. He worked in a style close to that of his Viennese contemporaries Johann Ender (1793?–?1854) and Joseph Kriehuber (1801?–?76), like them, his clientele was largely drawn from the Viennese aristocracy. The sitter in the piece is unknown but undoubtedly is a gentleman of some wealth. The work is in good condition with the odd minor mark to the paper. The portrait is framed in a period rosewood frame with gilt slip, this has a good untouched colour and patina. The whole is a great example of portraiture of this type and has a perfect period look. C.1840.Ov...