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Lot Essay
From 1791 to 1801 Louis Gauffier sojourned in Florence and Rome. There he worked as a portraitist to 'Grand Tourists' as well as to many important military and political figures living in Italy at the time. In Rome, he became acquainted with the landscape painters Jean-Joseph-Xavier Bidauld and François-Xavier Fabre.
Although Gauffier visited Naples only once -- in September of 1788 -- he later placed many of his sitters in Neapolitan landscapes, most likely re-using sketches that he had executed while in Naples. Indeed such works served to highlight Gauffier's talents for both portraiture and landscape painting. The present portrait may have been intended as a study for a larger composition of a gentleman visiting Naples. Similar studies of this size by the artist can be seen in the museums at Montpellier and Versailles.
Although Gauffier visited Naples only once -- in September of 1788 -- he later placed many of his sitters in Neapolitan landscapes, most likely re-using sketches that he had executed while in Naples. Indeed such works served to highlight Gauffier's talents for both portraiture and landscape painting. The present portrait may have been intended as a study for a larger composition of a gentleman visiting Naples. Similar studies of this size by the artist can be seen in the museums at Montpellier and Versailles.