Empire Period Portrait of the Comte Gustave de Galard (1779–1841)

Details

Description

19th Century, Empire Period Portrait of the Comte Gustave de Galard (1779–1841), French School, c. 1805, Oil on canvas

Canvas: … Read more 19th Century, Empire Period Portrait of the Comte Gustave de Galard (1779–1841), French School, c. 1805, Oil on canvas

Canvas: 15.75" W × 21.5" H
Framed: 19" W × 24.5" H

A refined French portrait depicting Gustave, Comte de Galard (1779–1841)—aristocrat, painter, and printmaker—inscribed verso “Comte de G. Galard—Lille (1779).” The sitter is shown in three-quarter view, with soft curling hair, a carefully styled moustache, and an intent gaze.

His attire reflects the height of late Empire/early Restoration fashion:
a dark frock coat with a high collar, a golden-ochre waistcoat, a towering white linen stock (cravat) tied in multiple folds, and a jewel-like carnelian intaglio pin securing the cravat. These details situate the work firmly in the period c. 1805–1820, when such dramatic neckwear and jewel accessories epitomized aristocratic refinement.

Condition
Stable surface with even age-crackling, no apparent overcleaning. Warm patina retained. Presented in a period-style giltwood frame.

Provenance (verso inscription)
“Comte de G. Galard—Lille (1779)” identifies the sitter as Gustave de Galard and marks 1779, his birth year.

About the Sitter
Gustave de Galard, Comte de Galard (1779–1841), was a French aristocrat, painter, and engraver. He studied in Bordeaux, produced portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes, and was known for his etchings. His works are held in the British Museum and in French regional museums, including those in Bordeaux and Montpellier. Though some sources give his birthplace as L’Isle-Bouzon (Gers), others (museum records) list Lille—matching the inscription here.

References:
British Museum biographical entry: “Galard, Gustave de (comte de), 1779–1841”
G. Labat, Gustave de Galard, sa vie et son œuvre (1779–1841) (Bordeaux, 1895)
R. Coustet, “Gustave de Galard (1779–1841). Un peintre à Bordeaux” (1973)

The Lille/Gers birthplace discrepancy is documented in the literature; some archives list Lille, others L’Isle-Bouzon. This may reflect confusion in 19th-century cataloging, but it strengthens the likelihood that the inscription was copied from a contemporary family note. See less