Miles Barton Art and Interiors has dated this French Pastel Portrait Drawing to the 19th Century.
Framed: 60 x 52 cm (23 ¼ x 20 ½ in)
Paper: 46 x 38 cm (18 x 15 in)
Provenance: Private Collection, France
This fine 19th century pastel portrait of L’Abbé François-Emmanuel Pommyer (1713–1784), the abbot of Bonneval is a copy directly drawn from the original of 1763 now in the Musee Antoine Lecuyer, Saint Quentin, France. As Neil Jeffares, the specialist art historian on the works of Maurice Quentin de La Tour observes about this particular portrait ‘The Saint-Quentin version was widely copied and was the set piece for the 1858 drawing competition at the Ecole gratuite de dessin de Saint-Quentin’.
Observing the original the unknown artist has captured well the soft textures, realistic skin tones, and subtle gradients in the powdered hair and dark clerical robes. Pommyer was a counselor-clerk to the Parlement of Paris and an honorary member of the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Instead of a stiff or formal religious portrait, the artist captures him mid-motion, looking off to the side with an approachable, slight smile. This focus on individual personality and lifelike expression is characteristic of La Tour's portrait style.
Finished pastels emerged as a format for portraiture in France in the late 17th century and by the middle of the 18th century Maurice-Quentin de La Tour (1704-1788) was among the most celebrated and accomplished portraitists in the medium. His considerable success led to commissions from the royal family, the court, the rich bourgeoisie and from literary, artistic and theatrical circles.
Miles Barton Art and Interiors has dated this French Pastel Portrait Drawing to the 19th Century.
British and european pictures and works of art from the 17th to 20th century
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Pastel Portrait of L'abbé Pommyer (1713-1784), After Maurice Quentin De La Tour, 19th Century
