Brave Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1880s.
Perhaps the gentleman here was incorporated into a larger painting? Or maybe it was simply a quick sketch to explore the stance of this interesting character.

Édouard John Mentha (also known as Édouard John Menta) trained with the landscape painter, Barthélemy Menn, and he’s known to have worked in Nice, France. Several of his larger works have sold at Sotheby’s for in excess of £7’000.

The painting is signed and dated in the lower left.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size including frame: 17” x 11¼” / 44cm x 28.5cm
Year of creation: 1879
Condition: Good condition overall and frame with some age-related wear.
Artist’s auction highlight: £13,500 achieved at Sotheby’s, UK, in 1994 for ‘La repasseuse’.
Brave Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1880s.
Exquisite antique paintings that capture the imagination.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Brave Fine Art Profile Page