Joseph Vernet

A half-length portrait of the most famous of the four Vernet brothers, all accomplished artists from the southern French city of Avignon. His talent was spotted when he was young and his patron, M. de Caumont, paid for him to go to Rome. During the voyage to Rome Vernet famously requested to be tied to the mast during a storm in order to observe the waves. On his return to France he made his name with a royal commission to paint all of France’s major sea ports. He was only able to compete sixteen of the twenty due to the war with the British. He is shown holding a palette with his head turned to the left, looking towards the viewer. There is a wide printed border, containing the title, the publication line is printed below.