Terms and conditions of use
Daniel Kervégan, Mayor of Nantes
(1794)
Medium
oil on wood panel
Measurements
(64.5 × 54.9 cm)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Andrew Sisson, 2010
Gallery location
17th & 18th Century Decorative Arts & Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
The French Revolution briefly destroyed the market in France for art and luxury objects. Portraiture, however, flourished as citizens sought to assert their new position in a changed social order. Sablet, a landscape painter by vocation, adapted to painting portraits imbued with the new patriotic and republican spirit. This portrait, which is thought to be of Daniel Kervégan, a popular mayor of Nantes, emphasises the revolutionary virtues of humble service and natural simplicity through details of dress. Kervégan is shown wigless and staring directly at the viewer, the only clues of his office are a tricolore mayoral sash at his elbow and a round box, perhaps containing a badge or cockade.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Paris, France
Accession Number
2010.514
Department
International Painting
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Subjects (general)
Portraits
Subjects (specific)
half figures mayors men (male humans)
Provenance
Unknown private collection, before 2002 by whom consigned to sale, Sotheby's New York, 24 January 2002, no. 78 from where purchased by Matthiesen Fine Art (dealer), London with Matthiesen Fine Art, 2002-10 from where purchased for the NGV, 2010.