Artwork
Dr. Vignardonne
Dr. Vignardonne is an oil painting by the French Romanticist artist Antoine-Jean Gros. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Antoine‑Jean Gros painted Dr.
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- Inscribed:lower left: Gros
About this work
Technique & Style
The formal qualities of the painting reflect the refined technique and psychological intensity characteristic of Gros's portraiture.
Dr. Vignardonne is an oil 'Oil on canvas' painting by Antoine-Jean Gros, executed in 1827. The work measures 81 × 64.3 cm. As a portrait by Gros, it belongs to his later period, when the artist was known for his polished, dramatic style developed under the influence of Jacques-Louis David and his own engagement with Napoleonic history painting. The formal qualities of the painting reflect the refined technique and psychological intensity characteristic of Gros's portraiture.
History & Provenance
Antoine-Jean Gros painted Dr. Vignardonne in 1827. The work remained in the possession of the sitter, who lived from 1780 to 1854, before passing to the Vignardonne family, who retained it until 1936. It subsequently entered the collection of Dr. George Viau (1855–1939).
Following Viau's death, the painting was offered at his estate sale, part II, held at Hôtel Drouot in Paris on 24 February 1943, where it sold for 15,000 francs as lot number 121. The piece was later acquired by Julius H. Weitzner of London and New York, who sold it on 1 October 1954 to Chester Dale in New York. Upon Dale's death, the artwork was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art in 1963.
The painting Dr. Vignardonne (1827) by Antoine-Jean Gros is held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the collection through the bequest of Chester Dale in 1963, following its acquisition from Dr. George Viau's estate sale in 1943. The work was previously owned by the Vignardonne family and Dr. Viau before being sold to Chester Dale in 1954.
Overview
Antoine‑Jean Gros painted Dr. Vignardonne in 1827, employing oil on canvas. The work presents a middle‑aged gentleman with curly gray hair, dressed in a dark coat and a neatly knotted white cravat. Set against an unadorned dark background, the composition draws the viewer’s attention directly to the sitter’s face, emphasizing his expression and demeanor.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait identifies the sitter as Dr. Vignardonne, though archival records provide little further biographical detail. The restrained setting and the sitter’s calm, dignified pose suggest a conventional representation of professional respectability, typical of early‑nineteenth‑century portraiture that aimed to convey the subject’s social standing and intellectual gravitas.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Antoine-Jean Gros (French pronunciation:; 16 March 1771 – 25 June 1835) was a French painter of historical subjects.
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