A fine late-19th-century portrait (possibly self-portrait) of a bearded artist wearing a beret and glasses. He looks across to our right with slightly raised eyebrows, an inquisitive brow, and a desire to be taken seriously.

It reminds us of the drama and heightened sense of self often found in Gustave Courbet’s (1819-1877) self-portraits. This coupled with a style rooted in the old masters - Rembrandt (1606-1669) and Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) particularly.

The painting is ascribed to French artist, Henri Charrier (1859-1950) who lived and worked in Paris. Charrier participated in the Paris salons and received an honourable mention in 1892. He trained under Jean-Paul Laurens/J. Blanc and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 1933.

The painting is housed within a period frame and inscribed on the reverse.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 11½” x 15½” / 29cm x 39cm
Year of creation: c. 1890
Provenance: France
Condition: Overall very presentable. A crack in the top right but this doesn’t affect its appeal in our opinion. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction highlight: £1,663 achieved for ‘Passage Autumnal’ at a French auction in 2009.