Dating c.1750-70, Louis XV to XVI era, when profile portraits were more likely than full frontal. Physiognomy was the term, and sometimes an artist used a projected light shadow to get the profile perfectly accurate, then painted or drew the remainder. This gentleman is a distinguished land owner, possibly avocat (attorney) or an accountant or merchant. Not a Nobleman or royal. The painting is in charcoal, pencil, watercolor or gouache and done on heavy paper or vellum. One can tell it was of importance to the family in that it remains in the unscathed original leather presentation case, and hasn't a single flaw to disclose. Superb quality. Alas, we do not have an ID for the man.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. It came to me with dust on the interior of the glass, diminishing the painting/artwork, and I am an art restorationist, did carefully remove him to clean the interior of the convex cover glass, and to see if there might be a signature on the inner rim, hidden by the metal mat or perhaps on back. Sometimes information is tucked inside, or a cut of a lucky card or a note or lock of hair rests behind the portrait miniature. Nothing to give us more info on this man, however. A superb item of extra value due to condition and the outer case attending.
IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer; we donate to anti-poaching organizations; we don't hunt; we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world.
Our offering exceeds the age limitation of "more than 100 years of age", and is well within the exemption for CITES regulation. If imported, met the CITES regulation. This item will be handled and shipped from our Utah business, and is not available for shipment internationally, nor within the USA to California, NY, Nevada, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington if it contains ivory, sorry. Please see our small print for more details.
