French school circa 1760 - Portrait of a Prémontré

French school circa 1760
Portrait of a Prémontré
Oil on canvas
H. 81 cm ; L. 65 cm
Traces of signature top left

Provenance: Private collection, Versailles

Although the artist remains unknown to us, despite the signature, some of whose initials are still visible, we can relate him to painters such as Marianne Loir, whose portraits offer similar postures and complexions.

Our premonstratensian, holding a bill in his hand, is turning his face away from the axis of his bust. Is he one of the order's abbots general? Could it be Antoine Parchappe de Vinay, who held the queens from 1758 to 1769, or his predecessor Bruno Bécourt?
It's hard to say without knowing other representations.


Translated with DeepL.com (free version)