European school; 1853.

European school; 1853.
"Corsican ancestor of the Bartoli family", 1853.
Oil on canvas.
It has perforations and flaws in the pictorial surface.
It has an informative label on the back.
Signed "Hauser" and dated in the left inferior zone.
Measurements: 97 x 72 cm.
The personage appears dressed with formal clothes of the XIX century, holding a cane, on a landscape background that includes vegetation and a distant view of water and mountains. The composition and the treatment of the face reflect an intention of social dignity and family memory. Signed by Hauser, the painting responds to the visual codes of the 19th century bourgeoisie, where the representation of the individual not only sought to capture physical resemblance, but also to affirm status, identity and family continuity. From the stylistic point of view, the work is ascribed to an academic naturalism, with special attention to the modeling of the face and hands, areas where the artist concentrates the greatest detail. The brushstroke is controlled and precise, characteristic of the salon painting of the time.
The portrait genre in this context cannot be separated from its function: more than a simple representation, it acts as a memory device. In this case, the value of the work is reinforced by the inscription that identifies the character as a Corsican ancestor of the Bartoli family, specifically the great-grandfather of the author's mother. This genealogical dimension connects the painting to common practices of the 19th century, when families commissioned portraits to preserve their lineage and affirm their roots.