Ferdinand Roybet (1840-1920) Gentleman with a red cape

Oil on mahogany panel - Signed top left
Dimensions: H 81 cm x W 64 cm (with frame: H 121 cm x W 104 cm)

Ferdinand Roybet is one of the central figures for portraits and scenes of interior, at the end of the 19th century. He studied drawing and engraving at the School of Fine Arts in the city of Lyon. His talent was quickly noticed and he left for Paris to continue his training. When he was only 24 years old, his painting entitled "Un fou sous Henri III" was exhibited at the official Paris Salon: This painting was acquired by Princess Mathilde who was fiancée with Emperor Napoleon III. Then Roybet’s reputation was established, and his style of painting would not change.

In 1871, Roybet discovered the paintings by Franz Hals and Rembrandt while visiting Holland. From Franz Hals, Roybet took the power of form, and from Rembrandt the fervor and quest for the soul. The artist paints with a quick and precise touch these characters dressed in the fashion of the 17th century. Roybet quickly received numerous medals at the World Fairs in Antwerp (1894), Berlin, Vienna... Ferdinand Roybet took advantage of his rapid success to paint his most beautiful pictures on large solid mahogany panels, which were worth a small fortune at the time. These panels allowed his works to reach us in often perfect condition. Roybet also quickly could afford frames in wood and gilded stucco of great value for his works.

In 1927, the Ferdinand Roybet Museum has opened in Courbevoie, just outside Paris. The Roybet Fould Museum was created by Consuelo Fould, a painter and granddaughter of Napoleon III's Minister of Finance. This museum preserves a collection of works by Roybet, bequeathed by the founder.

Our painting is a major work by the artist. The size is well beyond the average of what is found on the market. The portrait is painted on a magnificent mahogany panel, a size that is very rare for such a pannel. The composition, apparently simple, is in fact very studied: a young and rich gentleman is dressed in a red damask cape. The look is superb, and the details are very careful like the gloves, the hat and the embroidery. The man is proud, the look is intelligent, the head slightly tilted.
The frame is spectacular: weighing about 20 kilos by itself, this frame is double-throated, very richly carved and openworked. The gilding is original and in exceptional condition.

Museums:
Avignon, France
Bordeaux, France
Paris, Musée d’Orsay
Mulhouse, France
New York City, New York
Musée Roybet Fould