Portrait of an officer
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney |
| Location History: | The provenance of Nicolas de Largilliere’s Portrait of an Officer traces back to France, where it was recorded in the collection of the Comtesse Niel by 1928 . It later appeared at a public auction at the Palais Galliera in Paris on December 2, 1976. By 1985, the painting was handled by the Colnaghi gallery in New York, where it was purchased by the prominent Australian art collector and philanthropist James Oswald Fairfax AC on October 24, 1988 . Fairfax kept the painting at his estate in Bowral, New South Wales, until June 22, 1995, when he formally gifted it to the Art Gallery of New South Wales |
Nicolas de Largillire, Portrait of an Officer, c 1714-15 There is much more to this likeness of a youthful officer than simply a visual account of power and privilege. It is a contemplation of duty, title and identity. From the shining steel cuirass, to the powdery wig and ruddy sashes – all of these denote status – yet there is a calm expression which gives no hint of exaltation, only quiet authority. Perhaps most significant is the broken scarlet wax seal on the folded letter and while it might signify something other than the official document as imagined by researchers it is plausible that it represents an office or a military appointment – a moment in the life of this young officer. I think what really catches my attention is the juxtaposition of outward display and inner repose, what else is leadership if not responsibility tempered with glory? In the end, like this portrait, the costume implies status; the calm countenance reveals character. Authority is valueless without responsibility and purpose.