Portrait of a Gentleman C.1780; Circle of Antoine Vestier (1740–1824)

This exquisitely rendered portrait depicting a charismatic gentleman in fashionable clothing speaks visually to his social status and the fine characterisation provide a sense of the sitter’s strong, yet amiable, character. Painted with a miniaturist’s precision, the high degree of realism is remarkable - typical of Vestier's minute style – and with the unembellished naturalness, this is a fine example from the last quarter of the 18th century in France.

France greatly excelled in the arts during the 18th century; pre-eminent in Europe, it producing some of the highest quality and most sought after works. The French language was the lingua franca of the European courts.

Antoine Vestier (1740-1824) was a very successful miniaturist and painter of portraits. He painted mainly portraits and was well known for his exquisite small-scale works that he devoted himself to from about 1789. His daughter was also a painter. His work is held in many museums most notably in his native France. At a young age he showed remarkable talent in painting and having garnered the attention of the wealthy noble, the Count of Chastellux, he was able to leave his native Burgundy and study in Paris. After 1766 he became the painter of the powerful d'Hozier family and in 1774 he exhibited at the Salon of the Académie de St Luc. Two years later he travelled to London and it is believed he was a friend of Thomas Gainsborough. Vestier exhibited at the Salon de la Correspondance and later became a member of the Royal Academy of Painting in 1785, the same year he returned to Paris. He held the prestigious position of painter to the French King and was housed in the Louvre but the French Revolution had a large impact on the trade. Emigration depleted the number of potential clients and what clients remained were humbler and official commissions dried up. As Vestier was one of the few portrait specialists at the Academy, and still fashionable, he maintained a good business. Portraiture appears to be the one genre whereby a market survived and many great history painters, such as Jacques-Louis David, turned to portraiture to make a living. Boilly claimed he was forced to paint portraits to support his family. Many took up the painting of miniatures too, perhaps due to the more parsimonious nature of the clientele available.

Oil on panel.

Provenance: French private collection

Measurements: Height 46cm, Width 41cm framed (Height 18”, Width 15.75” framed)

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