L a - b e a u t é - s a u v e r a - l e - m o n d e ~ D o s t o ï e v s k i

L a - b e a u t é - s a u v e r a - l e - m o n d e  ~  D o s t o ï e v s k i



Monday, September 15, 2014

Odd fellow



I know nothing about this strange and silly painting.  The only caption attached to it said that it was German or Austrian.  From the attire, I would date this to the very end of the eighteenth century or the early nineteenth, but he could easily be in costume, which would very much confuse the issue.  I suspect that this rather delightful image is a portrait of some sort of performer in character/costume for a favorite role.






1 comment:

  1. Its origin as German or Austrian would only point up the outrageous foppishness of the gentleman pictured, since their menswear was more restrained than elsewhere in Europe at the time. I would be inclined, myself, to impute a satirical meaning to this, and if not that then, yes, perhaps a stage character. Interesting, and really, rather charming in its naive style.

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