Tiny Antique French Portrait Miniature in 18k Gold Pendant, c.1795 Incroyables Young Man, Luxuriants Post French Revolution, Directoire

Superb and very tiny portrait miniature, one of the “Incroyables et Merveilleuses” – the slightly smug face of a spoiled rich fashionable Parisian making political statement. Unsigned French portrait miniature, handsome gray topper wig, long in back, which along with the massive cravat and blue top coat, sets him squarely into the “Incroyables”, c.1795-1799. this grey-eyed young man who wears an elaborate white cravat with his hair long and tied low. He might well have been one of the wealthy students at the 1832 student uprising, Paris, barricade of a real-life Les Miserables, but in fact he dates much earlier. A fashion celebrating excess, riches, these young people scandalized Paris in the days after the execution of Robespierre. The history is wonderful and must be read. The red near the neck is a typical sign of support and memorial to those aristocrats who were overthrown in the French Revolution, late 1700s. So he’s somewhere between 1795 to 1799 when the fashion exuberance faded. The backside of the little gem is also thick convex glass and likely meant to hold a lock of his hair. 

Very good to excellent condition, hard to photograph. I hope you can look at these greatly enlarged photos and size him down to a miniature miniature that he is. I’ve never found one tinier, and yet it is precisely painted, clear and crisp and the choice of a profile is still very descriptive. He looks young! A teenager, possibly. I see no notable flaws. Enlarged as he is in the photos, you can see a little imperfection to the gold frame, but in the hand you’ll see no imperfections at all. Bale up top for a gold chain perhaps?