'Portrait of a Man' (19th Century)

'Portrait of a Man', oil on canvas, (19th century). This unsigned canvas was painted in the region of Aix-en-Provence, France, and was long believed to be a portrait of Cézanne by its owner. He inherited the work from his relative who purchased it in the 1960s in the Parisian Marché aux Puces, in St. Ouen. Professional art evaluators in Paris however, attributed the work to the school of Aix and initially postulated it was accomplished by the painter, François Marius Granet (1775 - 1849) himself. Granet bequeathed his collections to the city of Aix-en-Provence upon his death and upon its centenary, renamed the museum in his honour. After more careful evaluation of the painting, it is now believed the work was carried out by students possibly under the supervision of Granet. Clearly the tone of this work and the treatment of the light is extraordinary and is the hallmark of Granet's works. Although the authorship of this painting is not completely certain, it is undoubtedly of historical significance. Commensurate with its age, the work is in good vintage condition overall showing very minor paint peeling in the lower right hand corner and in the dark cloak of the subject. Unsigned. Upon request, a video clip of this work may be provided for added context. 

Dimensions inside original narrow frame:

H 45 cm (17.7")

W 37 cm (14.6")