Seated Portrait of a Gentleman (Attributed to F. Lombardo)
Original oil painting on fine-weave canvas • F. Lombardo (Signature appears as 'F. Lombardo' or 'T. Lombardo')
Style & Movement
Late 19th Century Academic Realism / Early Modern Portraiture
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas employing wet-on-wet technique with visible impasto in highlight areas and thin glazing in the dark background
Creation Period
1903 (based on dated signature)
Dimensions & Format
Estimated 60 x 50 cm; Portrait orientation
Subject Description
A formal portrait of a man, likely in his 40s or 50s, seated and viewed from the torso up. The subject wears dark formal attire, typical of the turn of the century. The background is monochromatic and dark, emphasizing the chiaroscuro effect on the subject's face and hands.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Poor; significant structural damage to the lower center and perimeter
Estimated Market Value
$300 - $800 USD (heavily depreciated due to condition)
Auction Estimate
$200 - $500 USD
Provenance History
Unknown; the presence of a 'HUNGAR' storage box in the background suggests a history related to Eastern European transit or storage
Art Historical Significance
A representative example of regional European academic portraiture from the early 20th century, capturing the social status and fashion of the era's bourgeois class.
Notable Features
The signature is executed in a reddish-brown pigment and dated 1903 beneath what appears to be a location script; the canvas shows a distinct mechanical weave consistent with late 19th-century manufacture.
Condition Issues
Notable vertical tear at the lower center edge, significant craquelure throughout, frame-rubbing and paint loss along the lower margin, and surface grime accumulation.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional tear repair and stabilization, localized consolidation of flaking paint, surface cleaning, and re-varnishing with a non-yellowing synthetic resin.