Self-Portrait, 1786
Jean-Laurent Mosnierexpand_more
Oil on canvasexpand_more
Bruce B. Dayton Fundexpand_more 77.44
On View in Gallery 314expand_more
Jean-Laurent Mosnier was painter to the queen of France, Marie-Antoinette, and was known for his detailed, highly polished portraits. Here, however, the treatment is less finished, especially in the background, because this is a sketch made for his own use. In 1787, during the approval process for his acceptance into the French Royal Academy, he exhibited a self-portrait showing him seated at the easel with two young women admiring his work. Mia’s painting was his preparatory sketch. The rounded object at the right is the artist’s palette, which held his paints as he worked.
Mosnier’s close ties to the royal family caused him to flee shortly after the outbreak of the French Revolution (1787–99). He spent six years in London, four in Hamburg, Germany, and the last eight years of his life in St. Petersburg, Russia, where this painting remained throughout the 1800s.
Details
- Title
- Self-Portrait
- Artist Life
- about 1743/44–1808
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 77.44
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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