Who painted Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul?

Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul was painted by Louis-Léopold Boilly in 1807.

Where can I see Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul?

Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul?

Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul is associated with Neoclassicism.

Artwork

Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul

Louis-Léopold Boilly , 1807

Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Louis-Léopold Boilly. It dates from 1807 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Louis-Léopold Boilly’s 1807 oil portrait, titled Portrait of de Michel du Roс, the Count de Frioul, depicts a French nobleman in full military regalia. The work is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection, where it is displayed among the museum’s European paintings from the Napoleonic era.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is presented in a richly decorated gold‑and‑black uniform, its stiff white collar contrasting with a single red flower affixed to his chest. His gaze is steady and composed, suggesting a confidence derived from rank and experience rather than overt authority, inviting viewers to contemplate the personal bearing of a high‑ranking officer.

Technique & Style

Boilly employs a restrained palette, allowing the luminous gold embroidery and polished buttons to dominate the surface.

Boilly employs a restrained palette, allowing the luminous gold embroidery and polished buttons to dominate the surface. The dark, unadorned background isolates the figure, emphasizing facial features and the texture of the fabric. The brushwork is precise, rendering the metallic sheen of the uniform while maintaining a smooth, almost photographic clarity typical of early‑19th‑century French portraiture.

History & Provenance

Executed in 1807, the portrait entered the Hermitage’s holdings during the 19th‑century expansion of its European collection. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in works that illustrate the social and military hierarchies of post‑revolutionary France, and it has remained in the Russian capital’s public galleries since that time.

Artist & collection

Artist

Louis-Léopold Boilly

Louis-Léopold Boilly was a French painter and draftsman. A creator of popular portrait paintings, he also produced a vast number of genre paintings documenting French middle-class social life. His life and work spanned…