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    • 18th-Century Swedish School

    Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour

    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour

    18th-Century Swedish School

    Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour

    This splendid late 18th-century Swedish oil painting depicts a 17th-century gentleman dressed in armour. The sitter bears a resemblance to a young Charles X Gustav (1622-1660), King of Sweden.

    Despite this gentleman’s battle-ready appearance, his ornate armour was impractical for actual conflict and intended, instead, as a display of power and status. On the battlefield, fighting men, including officers, had abandoned cumbersome equipment in favour of lighter alternatives. His linen collar, with its long lavish tassels, matches the fashion of c.1648-1650, so if this is indeed a portrait of Charles X Gustav, he would be between 26 and 28 years old.

    Produced around 1780, it’s conceivable that the artist based this likeness on a 17th-century engraving, which has since become scarce. The Nationalmuseum in Stockholm holds a later portrait of the King in armour, produced by Sébastien Bourdon (1616-1671) in 1652/53.

    Prior to arriving here, this piece was attributed to an artist working in the circle of Sébastien Bourdon by a specialist in Paris. It was later attributed to English artist Thomas Murray (1663-1734) by an auction house in Copenhagen. However, we feel it's likely to be a little later.

    Held in a splendid Louis XIII giltwood frame with torus profile and flowered back edge.

    Medium: Oil on canvas
    Overall size: 33” x 37½” / 84cm x 95cm
    Year of creation: c. 1780
    Provenance: Art Dealership, Södermanland, Sweden (1980s) / Private Collection, Sweden / Private Collection, Denmark.
    Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Faint stretcher marks. Fine craquelure throughout. The paint layer is stable. Frame with various marks and showing its age.
    Our reference: BRV2060

    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour
    18th-Century Swedish School, Portrait Of A 17th-Century Gentleman In Armour

    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.

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