A fine and slightly quirky interior scene depicting a lawyer sitting at a desk by French artist, Pierre Lecomte (act. 1817-1850).

He’s decorated with the Legion of Honour, which is the highest French order of merit. There are several different ranks within the Legion of Honour - with ‘Chevalier’ (Knight) being the highest level. As he’s wearing a red ribbon around his neck, he’s probably at the ‘Commandeur’ rank.

We adore this little painting for its charm and unusual composition. Given his pose and expression, perhaps he’s quite a character.

The painting is housed within a gilded frame with coved sides and swept corners. We’ve traced the suppliers mark on the reverse to between 1825 and 1841.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 14½” x 18” / 37cm x 45cm
Year of creation: c. 1835
Provenance: Sweden
Condition: Light craquelure. Areas of in-painting. Minor losses. Frame with some light age-related wear.