Gentleman in a Blue Coat in front of a Cloudy Sky

Although this portrait of a young man has a very simple concept, it is remarkably effective. The sitter is shown in front of a cloudy sky, and thus seems to be removed from his earthly origins and to be appearing in the memory of the observer. The artist emphasised this effect by devoting a noticeably large area to the sky. The young man gazes intensely at the viewer and intended recipient of the miniature, expressing the emotional ties to this person.

Besselièvre studied painting with the leading Paris masters of his time. He learned oil painting from Jacques-Louis David and miniature and enamel painting from Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin. His oeuvre is not extensive,¹ yet all of his works demonstrate outstanding quality. They astonish today’s viewers with their fine characterisations of the sitters and their open, emotional facial expressions. In addition to portraits, Besselièvre created small-format history paintings in oils. In 1824, he was awarded a gold medal in recognition of his achievements. 

B. P.