A fine 19th-century portrait of a gentleman by French painter, Emile Charles Labbé (1820-1885). He wears a black jacket, white shirt and black necktie. It was painted in 1876, possibly while Labbé was working in Constantine, Algeria.

Labbé was a versatile and highly regarded artist. He began his career asserting himself as a landscape painter - often working in The forest of Fontainebleau, which provided an abundant array of flora and fauna. By the age of 16, he was showing works at the illustrious Salon in Paris, where he continued to exhibit for 40 years.

In 1840, he gained an interest in ‘orientalism’ and began touring the East for inspiration. He subsequently gained a reputation as a noteworthy orientalist painter, which led to a commission to decorate the Sultan’s Palace in Constantinople.

By 1876, he had moved to Algiers where he remained for the rest of his life. In his final years, he was managing its new School of Fine Arts.

The portrait is signed/dated and housed within an exquisite gilt frame with ornate corner ornamentation. The same portrait was sold at Christie’s in 2012.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 28” x 31½” / 72cm x 80cm
Year of creation: 1876
Provenance: England
Condition: Frame with some age-related wear.
Artist’s auction highlight: £2,561 achieved for a miniature at an auction in 2013.