Attributed to Augustin Quesnel

In overall very good condition. The panel is formed of a single plank, uncradled, flat and stable, which has a gesso preparation on the reverse. The paint surface is clean and the varnish is clear and even. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals careful retouchings to the reduce the appearance of some of the craquelure in the sitter's ruff, and in the darks of his coat just beneath this. There is also a tiny spot of retouching to a pinprick loss in the middle of his hair. Offered in a plain wood frame in good condition.
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This painting would appear to be one of six known small-scale portraits, each depicting a bust-length male sitter and each signed 'A.Q.F.' These include the portrait at Chantilly of Nicolas Sieur de Mollais (inv. no. PE 295) and that in the Musée du Louvre, said to represent Jacob Bunel (inv. no. RF 1952-8), whose features are not dissimilar to those of the sitter in the present work, although the shapes of their noses differ somewhat.

These paintings have been attributed to Augustin Quesnel (the 'F' of the inscription taken to mean 'fecit'), the only artist with these initials apparently working during the first half of the 17th century - indeed, the Chantilly portrait is dated 1651. Although the present painting has much in common with the Louvre portrait in style and conception, the attribution to Quesnel still contains a certain amount of uncertainty. Quesnel was predominantly an engraver of religious and mythological scenes, and the engraved portraits of his brother François and of Pierre Brebiette do not allow easy comparison with the execution of these painted works.

We are grateful to Alexandra Zvereva for her help in the cataloguing of this lot.