Oil on canvas in the original fine carved and giltwood frame.The unknown gentleman strikes a pose much used by Kneller, this pose can be seen in his famous Kit-Kat portraits; this painting was undoubtedly painted at the same time. The sitter wears a large and very fashionable wig .. such wigs were expensive, the larger, the more costly. It is from this fashion that to this day rich and influential people are called ''bigwigs''.This is a good example of Kneller''s work in the early 18th century. This looseness of focus is created with a free fluidity of brushstrokes. He has used a Rembrandtesque technique of subtle tones in the face, and we can see how Kneller often allowed the bluer ground layer to show through when suggesting the darker flesh tones. In both techniques, we should bear in mind Kneller’s own advice, when rebuking those who peered at his works too closely, ‘My paintings were not made for smelling of…’.The painterly technique seen here is an excellent demonstra...