Who painted Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor?

Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor was painted by Nicolas de Largillière in 1685.

Where can I see Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor?

Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor?

Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor by Nicolas de Largillière (1685)

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right: N. De / Largillierre / F. 1685.

About this work

Technique & Style

Nicolas de Largillierre executed Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor in 1685 using oil paint on a canvas support.

Nicolas de Largillierre executed Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor in 1685 using oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 146 cm in height and 114.8 cm in width. Classified as a portrait, the painting belongs to the artist's mature period and represents the formal style characteristic of late 17th-century French portraiture.

The canvas is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection. While the provenance traces a complex history through various European and American owners, the physical medium and dimensions remain consistent with the artist's standard practice for large-scale portraiture of this era.

History & Provenance

Painted by Nicolas de Largillière in 1685, the work was originally titled Le Dauphin de France avec son précepteur M. De Bossuet in early records. Its documented ownership begins with the Marenzi de Tollenaere family of Bruges, appearing in a sale there on June 20, 1828. The painting remained in the Bruges region through the mid-19th century, passing from Baron François de Marenzi to the Dowager Madame de Doncquers by 1873, before entering the collection of Senator Prosper Crabbe and his wife in Brussels.

It was sold at Galerie Sedelmeyer in Paris in 1890 and later passed to the 11th duc de Gramont. Following his estate sale in 1925, the work entered the collection of Joseph Fuller Feder in New York. Upon his death, it passed to his widow, Edith Mosler Feder, before being sold to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1955 and gifted to the National Gallery of Art in 1961.

The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1961 as a gift from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, which had acquired it in 1955 through the New York dealer French & Company. It belongs to the museum's Samuel H. Kress Collection. Before reaching the Kress Foundation, the work passed through several private owners in Belgium and France, including the Marenzi de Tollenaere family of Bruges, the Sénateur Prosper Crabbe collection in Brussels, and Antoine-Alfred-Agénor, 11th duc de Gramont, in Paris.

It was also held by the New York collector Joseph Fuller Feder and, after his death in 1944, by his widow Edith Mosler Feder. Documented public appearances include the Marenzi estate sale in Bruges on 13 May 1850, the Crabbe estate sale at Galerie Sedelmeyer in Paris on 12 June 1890, and the duc de Gramont estate sale at Galerie Georges Petit in Paris on 22 May 1925.

Legacy

The later reputation of Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor has been shaped by its distinguished provenance and inclusion in a major public collection. Research by Armstrong‑Totten, de Strycker and Pietri highlights the painting’s documented ownership by the Marenzi family, the Crabbe household, and the French diplomat Prosper Crabbe, underscoring its historical traceability. Its acquisition by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and placement at the National Gallery of Art brought the work to wide public view, influencing scholarly assessments of Nicolas de Largillierre’s portraiture and 17th‑century educational imagery, cementing its standing in art‑historical discourse.

Overview

This oil on canvas painting, titled Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor, was created by Nicolas de Largillierre in 1685. The composition features two seated figures: an older man and a younger individual, accompanied by a dog positioned in the foreground. As a double portrait, it captures a specific moment between the two subjects, hinting at their relationship and social standing through their depiction within a formal setting.

Subject & Meaning

The painting presents an older man, likely the tutor, dressed in a formal black robe with contrasting white cuffs and collar, signifying his professional role. Beside him, the young man is depicted with long, flowing curly hair and a more elaborate, colorful costume, suggesting his aristocratic background. The presence of a dog in front of the figures adds an element of domesticity or loyalty, while the subjects' attire and the setting collectively convey their social status and the nature of their interaction.

Portrait of Edward Hyde, Jacob van Reesbroeck

Artist & collection

Artist

Nicolas de Largillière

Nicolas de Largillière (French:; baptised 10 October 1656 – 20 March 1746) was a French painter and draughtsman. From 1733 until 1735, he was director of the Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture.