Gentleman in a Black Coat

A gentleman in a black coat and with a necktie high around his neck is shown here in a three-quarter view. His face appears youthful; it is turned in the same direction as his body, which directs his gaze past the observer into the distance, causing the pose to look somewhat stiff. The pale green eyes, the rather thin hair, and the light complexion, in combination with the rigid pose, give the sitter a certain detachment and coolness despite the fact that his curly sideburns are combed fashionably towards his face.
Aubry was one of the outstanding miniaturists of this era. His portrait miniatures exhibit great precision in the details and in their skilled rendering. It is slightly surprising to see the lack of liveliness in this portrait, which was probably merely the result of the artist’s prolific production. Yet even this portrait captures our attention through its very detailed and fine workmanship. This is apparent in the delicate and differentiated shading of the flesh parts, the execution of the finely embroidered shirt, and the minutely detailed and naturalistic rendering of the hair. Aubry even painted the sitter’s bald spot in a realistic manner.
J. S. O.