English School (18th Century). Portrait of a gentleman in British Army dress. Oil on canvas. 24 x 19-1/2 inches (61.0 x ...

Description

English School (18th Century)
Portrait of a gentleman in British Army dress
Oil on canvas
24 x 19-1/2 inches (61.0 x 49.5 cm)

PROVENANCE:
Alberto Pinto, New York;
His sale: Sotheby's, New York, March 29-30, 1999, lot 603;
Private collection, Chicago, Illinois, acquired from the above.

The subject of this portrait is a junior officer dressed in a light infantry uniform as per the 1768 clothing warrants, issued by King George III. The officers and men of the Light Company wore red waistcoats, while only the officers wore epaulettes on both shoulders. In this portrait we cannot see the one on his right shoulder. The black facings (cuffs, lapels, and collar in the portrait) identify this light infantry officer as belonging either to the 64th or the 70th regiment. Earrings were not uncommon among men of the upper class to which a vast majority of the officer corps belonged. We are grateful to Craig Alexis Schermer for his kind assistance in cataloguing this lot.


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