Artwork
Portrait of a man on ivory
Portrait of a man on ivory is an ivory painting by the Rococo painting artist Edme Quenedey des Ricets. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This small, round portrait on ivory depicts a man with a calm expression.
About this work
Technique & Style
Portrait of a man on ivory is a miniature painting executed on a thin sheet of ivory, depicting a male sitter in a realistic yet delicate style characteristic of late 18th-century French portraiture. The work employs fine brushwork to render facial features and clothing details on the translucent support, emphasizing subtle modeling and a restrained palette that exploits the natural veining of the ivory surface. Its condition remains stable, with the original ivory support intact and no significant degradation observed, allowing the luminous quality of the material to enhance the sitter's presence.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a man on ivory, a miniature painted on ivory by Edme Quenedey des Ricets in 1787, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Edme Quenedey des Ricets created this ivory miniature portrait in 1787. The work, classified as a painting within the portrait genre, entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held. No specific details regarding the original commissioner, the identity of the male sitter, or the intermediate ownership history between its creation and its acquisition by the museum are provided in the available records.
The Portrait of a man on ivory, a miniature painted on ivory by Edme Quenedey des Ricets in 1787, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is cataloged within the museum's holdings as a painting classified under the genre of miniature. While the specific inventory or accession number is not detailed in the provided records, its institutional home is confirmed as the Rijksmuseum, where it remains part of the permanent collection.
Context
The Portrait of a man on ivory (1787) by Edme Quenedey des Ricets stands as a notable example of French miniature portraiture executed on ivory during the Ancien Régime. Its classification as a painting rather than a drawing or pastel work underscores the technical mastery involved in rendering fine detail on a fragile substrate. The work is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection, reflecting its recognized significance within Dutch holdings of French decorative arts.
Scholarship on Quenedey des Ricets remains limited, but the miniature contributes to understanding the transnational exchange of portrait miniatures among European courts in the late 18th century. Its stylistic elements align with Rococo sensibilities while foreshadowing Neoclassical shifts in portraiture.
Overview
This small, round portrait on ivory depicts a man with a calm expression. Created in 1794, it showcases the artist's skill in capturing detailed features on a delicate medium.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a man with graying hair, wearing formal attire, including a dark coat and white shirt with a neatly tied cravat. His slight smile suggests a serene and possibly affluent individual.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Edmé Quenedey des Ricets (sometimes Edmé Quenedey; December 17, 1756 – February 16, 1830) was a French painter and engraver, known most especially for his miniatures.
