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This exceedingly qualitative and large, chalk-and-white heightening drawing demonstrates absolutely all stylistic criteria of works of the famous French, turn of 19th century, horse artist Antoine Charles Horace (called Carle) Vernet. Our numerous comparison images convincingly confirm his authorship. Moreover the artist and his model (it is an equestrian portrait of an elderly gentleman, whose identity we will discuss below) obviously were acquaínted before - both men were natives of the same region Nouvelle-Aquitaine in South-West of France (see biographies of both of them below). Either Vernet executed this portrait during one of visits to native province, or his model visited his studio in Paris.

The depicted elderly gentleman wears a uniform redingote of the 1820s (see one of our comparison image). The information concerning his identity could be gathered from the coat-of-arms on the small label attached in the middle of lower margin. According to information which we received from specialist in heraldry, Mr. Willem Vanderberg (USA) it is a blazon of French noble family Pasquet de Cloulas living in commune La Rochefoucauld (department Charente, with town Angouleme as a capital; see our image nr.16). The depicted member of this family was surely a high-estimated during the Bourbon Restoration person - see hanging from the blazon Chevalier Cross of the Royal Military Order of St. Louis, Officer Cross of the Royal Order of Legion of Honour and badge of the "Decoration of The Lily".

Through the following brief web search we discovered this man. His name was Mathieu Pasquet. A former emigre, retired (since October 1815) cavalry colonel, he is depicted after 1821 (awarding with Officer Cross of the Legion), while already the mayor of his native La Rochefoucauld. In this portrait he is 63/65-year-old.

Mathieu Pasquet, genannt Pasquet de la Garde was born in St.-Cybard by La Rochefoucauld, on 2nd February 1757. On 30 September 1770 he was enlisted in rank of sous-lieutenant to Regiment provincial de Limoge. On 22 September 1774 he was transferred to Gardes du Corps du Roi where he served until October of 1789. In 1791 he emigrated, entered to Army of Princes in Germany and participated with these troops in varroius campaigns of 1790s. In 1808, have being amnested, he came back to France. On 3 June 1814 (begin of Bourbon Restoration) he was promoted to major and appointed sous-lieutenant of re-established Garde du Corps du Roi. On 21 September 1814 he was awarded Chevalier Cross of Legion of Honour. On 31 October 1815 he retreated from military service with simultaneous promotion to colonel of cavalry. Since this date he lived at his estate (we meet his name among greatest landowners of his department Charente) in La Rochefoucauld. On 24 November 1821 Louis XVIII awarded him Officer Cross of Legion of Honour. Somewhen between 1814-1821 he obtained also his Chevalier Cross of St. Louis. He died in La Rochefoucauld on 5th April 1831. Our additional images provide further information about him.

Antoine Charles Horace (called Carle) Vernet was born in 1758 in Bordeaux as a son of the marine painter Claude Joseph Vernet (1714-1789). Raised in his father's workshop, already as a child, he was eagerly drawing horses. At the age of 11 years Vernet entered the studio of N.B.Lepicie. In 1779 and 1782 he was awarded Rome prizes for historical painting and spent three years in Rome. In 1789 the artist became an agréé of Academia Royale, but never acquired a full membership at the academy. In 1806 he was appointed a painter of War Depot and in 1810 became a member of Institute. The artist died in Paris in 1836. As a first-class horse drawing master Vernet belonged to the beginners of lithography in France (first attempts undertaken in 1816). Especially popular are his scenes of Napoleonic battles.

Condition: good; in magnificent, original Empire frame

Creation Year: 1820s

Measurements: UNFRAMED: 55,5x44,0cm/21,9x17,3in FRAMED: 68,0x57,5cm/26,8x22,6in

Object Type: Framed drawing

Style: 19th century drawings

Technique:  charcoal and white heightening on paper

Inscription: -