Portrait of the Comte de Turenne

The Comte de Turenne, painted in 1816 at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, belonged to an old French military family. David executed this portrait during his early Brussels years, when Belgian and French exiles formed his primary clientele after the Bourbon restoration banished him from France. David's austere oil technique rejected all Rococo softness in favor of a firm, sculptural handling that emphasized drawing over color—figures modelled like antique reliefs against neutral backgrounds,...

The count is presented with military bearing but civilian dress, the erect posture and steady gaze conveying authority without resorting to uniform or decorations. David's late palette is warmer than his revolutionary-era work, with richer flesh tones and a more atmospheric background.