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Philippe Mercier, 'Portrait of a Man', 1740

About the work

Overview

The man in this portrait has not yet been identified, but he is probably from the Yorkshire gentry. With his body positioned at a slight angle to us, in a three-quarter view, he leans against a stone column with his right hand tucked into his waistcoat – a pose that was often adopted by English sitters in the mid-eighteenth century. X-ray photography reveals that the position of his left hand has been changed and that it may originally have been holding a cane with a silver or ivory handle. Although it is difficult to see beneath the covering of dark yellow varnish, there is a landscape with trees in the background.

The artist, Philippe Mercier, was born in Berlin in 1689 to French Huguenot parents, but eventually settled in England. He lived in York from 1739, working extensively as a portrait painter for the local gentry. This was perhaps his most productive period, during which this picture was painted.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Portrait of a Man
Artist dates
1689 - 1760
Date made
1740
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
81.3 × 65.4 cm
Inscription summary
Dated
Acquisition credit
Sir Claude Phillips Bequest, 1924
Inventory number
NG4036
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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