Oil on canvas
France, 1852
Circle of Alfred de Dreux (1810-1860) - French painter
Lower right inscribed ‘A. d Dreux’ and dated ’Paris 1852’
Verso stamp of canvas manufacturer Jeanbin, Paris
Gilded ornament frame
Overall dimensions, with frame: 97 x 86 cm
Provenance: Private Swiss collection

The present painting of a riding gentleman is the work of an artist who was active in the circle of the French painter Alfred de Dreux (1810-1860). In 1852, de Dreux started to work as court painter to Napoleon III. During this time, de Dreux also painted some works depicting the sport of horse riding. The present painting portrays a proud nobleman sitting on a black stallion in front of a landscape backdrop. The fine portrait shows especially the detailed representation of the rider’s costume, the running movement of the horse, and the atmospheric lighting.



The painting is inscribed lower right, ‘A. d Dreux’, and dated ’Paris 1852’. The canvas is unlined with few patches on the reverse. There are two repaired tears and a number of small punches, otherwise, the paint surface is relatively fresh. Inspection under UV light reveals some small areas of retouching to the background. The gilded wood frame shows some losses of material. The overall dimensions, with frame, are 97 x 86 cm. The stretcher frame measures 74 x 59 cm.



Alfred de Dreux (1810-1860)

Born in Paris, the painter Alfred de Dreux is especially recorded for his horse depictions. Due to the large success of his works at the Paris Salon in the first half of the 19th century, he was appointed court painter to Emperor Napoleon III.

De Dreux came from a family of painters and was influenced by Thédore Géricault, a friend of the family. He received his artistic training with his uncle Pierre -Joseph de Dreux, and later with Léon Cogniet. From 1831 to 1859, de Dreux regularly exhibited at the Paris Salon. Besides rider portraits, de Dreux painted history paintings, carriage and dog depictions. He also worked as etcher and lithographer. In 1852, he received several commissions for rider portraits by Napoleon III. Today, works by de Dreux are on display in major museum collections, such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Leipzig, the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, the Louvre, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

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