Pair Of Mid-19th Century French Portraits

Pair Of Mid-19th Century French Portraits

A fine pair of mid-19th century portraits depicting a nonchalant French couple dressed in the fashion-a-la-mode. She's sat within a beautiful garden adorned with roses, while he's casually perched in his study adjectant to a notebook and the morning news.

It's always nice to see a subject within their own environment and you can imagine how the artist discussed the setting with each of them. It's interesting to consider the gentleman's profession, as each of the objects on the table could be symbolic - for example, the notebook is held slightly open by a pencil. Perhaps a writer?

Both portraits are housed within their original foliate frames.

Medium
Oil on board
Size including frame
16¾” x 13⅔” / 41cm x 35cm
Year of creation
c. 1851
Provenance
France
Condition
Both portraits are in good condition with no significant issues. Craquelure is present but the paint layer is stable under varnish. The frames are showing their age but, personally, we like them as they are. However, if you would prefer them to be improved, we can touch them up with gilt cream to cover the losses.

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

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