Offered by Antichità di Alina
Oil on canvas, oval format, 63 × 50 cm. Mid-18th century.
The painting depicts a young man shown three-quarters, his gaze directed toward the viewer and his expression composed and dignified. The smooth modelling of the face, the soft handling of the flesh tones, the precise construction of the features, and the measured use of light all show affinities consistent with the hand of Johann Heinrich Tischbein the Elder, to whom the portrait is attributed.
A significant figure in 18th-century portraiture, Tischbein the Elder – often referred to as the Kassel Tischbein – worked closely with the court of the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, producing both official and family portraits for the House of Hesse, including William VIII, as well as for other aristocratic families in the region, such as the von Baumbach. Certain physiognomic similarities visible in the sitter, reminiscent of faces within the painter’s family circle, leave open the possibility of an early self-portrait or the likeness of a close relative.
The sitter’s attire allows a dating to the central Rococo period, between 1755 and 1765. The dark blue velvet coat includes a light fur trimming; the white lace jabot, with clearly defined needlework patterns, corresponds to a high-quality shirt; the ornamental embroidery and gilded buttons belong to the repertoire of the most refined justaucorps of the period. In contrast with French fashion, often oriented toward pastel tones, Germanic dress traditions favoured deeper colours, heavier velvets, and occasionally fur accents — all elements present here. These details, together with the overall palette, suggest a dating to the second half of the 1750s.
The rendering of materials — velvet, fur, and lace — demonstrates a technique attentive to light effects and subtle chromatic transitions, consistent with Tischbein’s approach. The resemblance of the sitter to certain members of the artist’s family further supports the attribution.
Condition: good overall condition; minimal, very fine retouching in small areas. Traditional lining patches are visible on the reverse.
