English school circa 1820.

English school circa 1820.
Male portrait.
Oil on canvas.
Measurements: 77 x 64,5 cm.

The portrait presents a young man of half body, slightly tilted in his torso but with the look directed towards the opposite side. This posture creates a sensation of spontaneity. His expression is serious, melancholic and pensive. In style and technique, the influence of Romanticism is palpable. The artist uses a marked chiaroscuro, with a powerful light source that strikes from the left, intensely illuminating the forehead and half of the face, while the rest of the face and part of the body merge into a subtle half-light. This models the volume and gives three-dimensionality to the figure, while accentuating the psychology of the character.

The informal clothing suggests that he could be a poet or philosopher. The young man wears a white shirt with a high, open collar, and over his shoulders is a heavy cloak or cape of a rich dark red or burgundy color, draped casually, adding a theatrical, bohemian touch to the portrait.

The face is the main focus: warm skin, slightly disheveled hair and pronounced sideburns, characteristic of the fashion of the time. The brushwork on the face is more careful and detailed, while on the clothes and background it becomes looser and more energetic, a distinctive characteristic of many English portraitists such as Sir Thomas Lawrence or Henry Raeburn, who influenced this style.