Thomas Hudson (Devon 1701 - Londra 1799)

Thomas Hudson (Devon 1701 - London 1799) Portrait of a Notable in His Study Oil on canvas 124 x 102 cm. - In antique frame 142 x 120 cm. The fascinating portrait offered is a valuable example of portraiture flourishing in 18th-century England; London, the beating heart of a vast empire, becomes in a few years the center of world trade and industrial, economic and financial activities. Our portrayed subject is certainly an illustrious exponent of this period, depicted with those features of authority and moral rigor that lead us to identify him as a prominent member of high society. He is presumably a man of law, a lawyer, a notary or a magistrate, but he could also be a politician of the time or a wealthy merchant. His charm is in line with the character and strong mettle with which he was skillfully immortalized, while consulting one of the volumes placed on his sumptuous carved and gilded desk, while in the background you can see a prestigious setting, with tall marble columns. The majesty of the dress, composed of a white jabot shirt, a vest and a velvet jacket with wide lapels, indicate the high office held and the relevant social level. The proposed work is attributed to the hand of the English painter Thomas Hudson, originally from Devon, although he spent most of his painting career in London, initially a pupil of Jonathan Richardson. Hudson was very prolific between 1740 and 1760 and, from 1745 to 1755, he was the most famous portrait painter in London; he visited the Netherlands in 1748 and Italy in 1752; In London he studied under the auspices of Jean-Baptiste Van Loo, whose fashionable practice he managed to follow. As we can see in our portrait, Hudson inherited the solemn prose of both his master Richardson and Van Loo, and his work turned to the more formal and traditional models that resisted the introduction of portraiture in the "ingenious" exploited by Highmore and Hogarth. Many of Hudson's works can be admired in art galleries throughout the United Kingdom: these include the National Portrait Gallery, the National Maritime Museum, Tate Gallery, the Foundling Museum and the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work sold is completed by an antique gilded wooden frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Contact us, without obligation, for any further information. Follow us also on: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/