Portrait of Jan Anthony d'Averhoult (1756-1792)

Executed in 1792, this portrait exemplifies Louis-Léopold Boilly's command of formal portraiture, drawing on Greuze. The work reflects the social importance of commissioned portraits in the Romantic period, serving both as personal memento and public statement of status. His crowd scenes of Parisian streets, theaters, and cafés are invaluable documents of everyday life in the French capital across its most turbulent historical period. Neoclassical portraiture aspired to the dignity of Roman republican virtue, balancing individual likeness with an ideal of civic character drawn from ancient sources and modern philosophy.

Oil on canvas, the portrait demonstrates Louis-Léopold Boilly's command of witty observation and meticulous detail. The careful modeling of the face reveals close study of the sitter's physiognomy, while the treatment of costume and setting projects appropriate social standing.