Artwork
Louis-Marie, Vicomte de Noailles
Louis-Marie, Vicomte de Noailles is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Gilbert Stuart. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The composition focuses on the human figure and the animal subject, rendered through the artist's handling of the oil medium to capture the likenesses.
Executed in 1798, this portrait uses oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 127 centimeters in height by 101.6 centimeters in width. Stylistically, the piece functions as a formal portrait depicting Louis-Marie, Vicomte de Noailles alongside a horse, adhering to the genre conventions of late eighteenth-century portraiture.
The composition focuses on the human figure and the animal subject, rendered through the artist's handling of the oil medium to capture the likenesses. No specific details regarding the current physical condition of the paint layer or canvas, nor descriptions of specific brushwork techniques beyond the general medium, are provided in the available records.
History & Provenance
The portrait Louis-Marie, Vicomte de Noailles (1798) by Gilbert Stuart is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded under accession number 1975.1.178. The painting entered the museum's holdings in 1975 through a gift, forming part of its American Wing holdings. It has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its permanent collection displays, though specific temporary exhibitions are not documented in the provided sources.
Overview
This oil on canvas depicts Louis-Marie, Vicomte de Noailles, a prominent figure from a French noble family. The formal equestrian portrait emphasizes his status and confidence. The artist meticulously rendered details of his attire and the horse's tack, indicating the importance of the commission.
Housed in The American Wing, the work reflects a period of significant artistic exchange between Europe and the United States.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features Louis-Marie, Vicomte de Noailles, a member of an influential French aristocratic lineage. His depiction mounted on a horse, dressed in formal attire, served to underscore his social standing and military associations. Such equestrian portraits were traditionally reserved for individuals of high rank, projecting an an image of authority and refined dignity befitting a nobleman.
Context
This portrait emerged during a period characterized by a dynamic interplay between American and European artistic traditions. As artists traveled and ideas circulated across the Atlantic, styles and techniques from both continents began to inform each other. This painting exemplifies that cultural exchange, demonstrating how European subjects and conventions were engaged with by artists working within or connected to American collections.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gilbert Stuart (né Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter born in the Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists.
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