Artwork
The Portrait of a Sergeant
The Portrait of a Sergeant is an oil painting by the Realist artist Ernest Meissonier. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Hamburger Kunsthalle.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Louis Ernest Meissonier’s oil painting titled Portrait of a Sergeant was completed in 1874. The work is part of the collection of the Hamburger Kunsthalle, where it remains on display as an example of Meissonier’s late‑career portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents several soldiers gathered around a seated figure wearing a brown coat. The men are attired in white and blue uniforms with tall shakos, their swords sheathed at their sides. One individual stands out with a black hat trimmed in gold and feathers, while another holds a pipe, suggesting a moment of informal camaraderie among the troops.
Technique & Style
Meissonier renders the scene with meticulous attention to the texture of fabrics and metal, emphasizing the crisp detailing of the uniforms. The composition is illuminated by a subtle chiaroscuro, the light falling on the faces and clothing against a muted brick wall and a distant window, creating depth and a sense of three‑dimensional space.
History & Provenance
After its creation in 1874, the portrait entered the holdings of the Hamburger Kunsthalle, where it has been exhibited as part of the museum’s 19th‑century European painting collection. No record of earlier private ownership has been documented.
Context
Meissonier, renowned for his precise military scenes, produced this work during a period when he increasingly turned to portraiture of individual officers and non‑commissioned officers. The relaxed pose and informal interaction reflect a shift from battlefield drama to personal representation of military life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier was a French academic painter and sculptor. He became famous for his depictions of Napoleon and his military sieges and manoeuvres in paintings acclaimed both for the artist's mastery of…
- A Guard Room
Two Soldiers
Emperor Joseph II as a Boy with the Invalids in Vienna
Gendarmes d'Ordonnance
Trepanning a Recruit
A Soldier with Troops in the Background
The Story of a Battle
Soldiers at Rest (Panorama of the Battle of Rezonville) (Fragment)
Soldiers
Examining Antique Arms
The Recruitment
The attack on Berlin in 1757