Portrait of Comte Antoine Français de Nantes

The painter created a composition based on the red ribbon of the Comte’s decoration and his blissful satisfaction. Seated and viewed from three-quarters, he is depicted slightly from below, which gives him a dominant position. This viewpoint is perfectly suited to the model’s personality, who appears to be authoritative and disdainful. To make his work more truthful, David chose a wood panel support rather than a canvas, like the Flemish Primitives. The costume, which is a masterpiece in itself, underlines the sitter’s social status. David rendered the sumptuous silk, velvet, feathers, lace, and embroidered foliage with an icy harmony of whites, blues, silver, and gold. The red ribbon of the decoration stands out boldly from this harmonious ground.