A skilfully rendered portrait of an older gentleman by Austrian artist, Adolf Reich (1887-1963). While resting his bearded chin on his right hand, the subject looks ponderously across the rims of his rickety old spectacles.

Reich possessed an extraordinary ability to capture the smallest of details with the utmost of care and his style was entirely traditional.

In 1916, he attended the Academy of Arts in Vienna and elected to paint in a classical style despite many of his contemporaries opting for the avant-garde.

The painting is housed within a gilded frame with coved sides and swept corners.