SCUOLA FRANCESE, circa 1790–1795

FRENCH SCHOOL, circa 1790–1795 PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN IN PROFILE Watercolor and gouache on natural material, unsigned. Diameter 5.5 cm / 2.2 inches, framed 7.2 x 9 cm / 2.8 x 3.5 inches PROVENANCE Paris, private collection This finely executed miniature depicts a young gentleman in profile, rendered with the elegance and precision typical of French portraiture of the late 18th century. The powdered hair, tied at the nape of the neck with a black ribbon, and the refined attire—characterized by a high cravat and a richly toned jacket—reflect the aristocratic fashion of the time. The composition is enriched by the delicate modeling of the facial features and the soft tonality of the background. Although unsigned, the miniature presents stylistic affinities with the works of Parisian miniaturists active in the last years of the Ancien Régime. On the back, there is an apocryphal inscription from a later period. The work also shows a remarkable resemblance to the miniatures of Augustin Ritt (1765–1799), a Russian portrait painter active in the 18th century. His influence is perceived in the treatment of the profile, the chromatic subtlety, and the elegant sobriety of the composition—elements that suggest a shared aesthetic vocabulary among European miniaturists of the time.