Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman
Ca. 1795. Oil on canvas.Room 088
Beechey, a British lawyer, painter and watercolorist was a student of Johan Zoffany and specialised in portraiture. After living for years in Norwich, he returned to London where he developed his artistic career. His style is related to that of Joshua Reynolds, although Beechey´s portraits are more highly finished. The sitter´s relaxed demeanour, a departure from the conventions of formal portraiture, is striking: a three-quarter view with the legs crossed and holding a parasol, elements that together suggest a close and friendly relationship with the painter.
