Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Portrait of a Man (1809)

François-Xavier Fabre: Portrait of a Man

In this work, which is one of Fabre's most sensitive portraits, a fashionably dressed young man turns his intense gaze towards the viewer. The plain background with its subtle modulations of light and shadow creates a foil for the figure's clearly defined contours and his elegantly dishevelled hair, cut in the so-called 'a la Titus' style. Fabre probably painted the picture during a brief return visit from to Paris from Italy. It is inscribed faintly in pencil with the name 'M Camille' - which is presumably a reference to the, as yet, otherwise unknown young man. [summary from the National Galleries Scotland]

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