Circle of Antoine Jean Gros (French, 1771-1835), "Marechal Antoine Adolphe Marcelin Marbot (1781-1844)", oil on canvas, unsigned, sitter identified on stretcher in period script and on artist brass plaque, 83-1/4" x 64-1/4". Presented in a 19th-century carved giltwood frame. Provenance: Chateau de Mondetour, Morgny-la-Pommeraye (Normandy), France; Private collection, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Antoine Adolphe Marcelin Marbot came from a prominent military family. His father, General Jean-Antoine Marbot, was head of the Paris military district and died in the defense of Genoa under Andre Massena. His younger brother, General Jean-Antoine Marcellin, heroically served in the Napoleonic Wars, and later published a historical memoire of it. Antoine Adolphe's career was no less illustrious; he acted as the aide-de-camp to Marshal Bernadotte in the Revolutionary Wars, and later in the Peninsular Wars and the Russian War of 1812, where he was wounded and captured as a prisoner of war. In 1830, he returned to active duty under King Louis-Philippe where he attained the rank of "Marechal de Camp" (Field Marshal, a rank equivalent to Sergeant Major General). The size of the portrait offered here, a size which is typically reserved for grand history paintings, is a collective homage to Marbot's service: the uniform epaulets reflect his rank; the field of military soldiers below bespeak of his ability to command as Field Marshal; the open map, which faintly spells out "Duche", possibly references his service under General Louis-Nicolas Davout, who was the Governor-General of the Duchy of Warsaw under Napoleon; even the hunting dog - a pictorial trope of fidelity - speaks to the character of the sitter.

There is evidence of past professional restoration; the canvas has been relined and there is a 17" x 16" patch en verso to the upper left area of the painting that retains traces of adhesive. Minimal inpainting to the left side of the face was detected under UV light. Some warping is present to the upper right corner and along the stitching lines of the original canvas. Light craquelure is visible throughout, and canvas edges have some abrading and paint losses. The stretchers and frame have shrinkage cracks and scattered wormhole damage, which is to be expected with age. Both the painting and frame are in remarkably good condition given their size and age.