Anonymous (French, 19th Century)
Portrait of a Child in Tricorn Hat,
circa 1825
Oil on canvas
Beautifully handled and masterfully composed, this small portrait captures the quiet and straightforward style associated with late 18th and early 19th century art. The subtle shading, facial modeling, and color selections or tonalities demonstrate the adept paint handling and high standards of this anonymous artist. The masterful handling of oil paint is evident in the details of the work. For example, the viewer is immediately drawn to the child’s hat which delicately covers the child’s head and allows only a portion of the blue/green silk bow into view. Another pristine element is the delicate feather that tops off the tricorn, or three cornered, hat and allows the youthful face of the sitter to dominate the composition.
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