Portrait of a Man - British School - 19th Century

Small format oil on wood portrait of a man, likely produced in the 19th century, in the manner of the 17th century. Possibly a sketch for a larger work. It has a quality of a self-portrait. The artist remains unidentified. The paper backing has been removed to reveal a gallery label that reads: “Frederick Eastwood, 5 & 7 Fenchurch Street”, we assume in London. The word “Welch” and “W” are also hand-written in ink on same label. Our research has yet to turn up anything concrete on either of these leads. A second label was on the paper backing, belonging to Mickelson’s in Washington D.C. Sidney Mickelson ran a frame shop since his return from World War II, and added an art gallery in the early 1960s. He traded mainly in American and European art, which is how this work became part of his collection. The painting has been in private hands since the late 1980s. The shop closed permanently in the late 1990s after Mickelson’s death.

Artist: Unknown (unsigned)
Medium: Oil on wood.
Condition: Very good condition.
Dimensions: 19.5 x 14.5 cm. / 7 ¾ x 5 ¾ in.
Frame: 33 x 28.5 cm. / 13 x 11 ¼ in.
Origin: United Kingdom.