Artwork
Porträt des Robert Tournières (1667-1752)
Porträt des Robert Tournières (1667-1752) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pierre Étienne Lesueur. It dates from 1747 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
About this work
His expression is serious, and his gesture seems to be directing attention to something outside the frame.
This portrait depicts a man sitting in a chair, pointing to the right. He wears a dark green velvet jacket with a white shirt and lace cuffs. The background is dark, and the man's face is illuminated.
The man's attire and hairstyle suggest he is from the 18th century. His expression is serious, and his gesture seems to be directing attention to something outside the frame.
To learn more about the artist who created this portrait, look up Pierre Étienne Lesueur.
Overview
Porträt des Robert Tournières is an oil on canvas portrait created in 1747 by Pierre Étienne Lesueur, depicting the French subject Robert Tournières (1667-1752). The work is part of the collection at the Palace of Versailles.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait shows Robert Tournières seated, dressed in 18th-century attire: a dark green velvet jacket, white shirt, and lace cuffs. His serious expression and pointing gesture towards the right suggest he is directing the viewer's attention to something beyond the frame, though the context of this gesture is not explicitly clear.
Technique & Style
Lesueur employed a chiaroscuro technique, contrasting a dark background with the illuminated face of the sitter, emphasizing Tournières' features and expression. The overall style is characteristic of 18th-century French portraiture, with meticulous attention to the texture of fabrics and the subject's demeanor.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1747, the portrait has been part of the Palace of Versailles' collection, indicating its historical significance and the subject's potential ties to the royal court or French aristocracy of the time.
Context
Created during the reign of King Louis XV, this portrait reflects the artistic tastes of the French monarchy and nobility in the mid-18th century, where formal, expressive portraiture was valued for its ability to convey status and character.
Artist & collection
Artist
A Paris-based portrait painter active between 1791 and 1810, this artist made small, crisply lit likenesses of sitters in the late 18th-century tradition.
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