Attributed to LUIS USEBI (Rome, 1773-Paris, 1829).

Attributed to LUIS USEBI (Rome, 1773-Paris, 1829). "Portrait of a Gentleman. Oil on canvas. Relined Reproduced in the catalogue Measurements: 52,5 x 43,5 cm. Portrait of romantic aesthetics in which a half-bodied male figure is represented, inscribed in a neutral background of dark tonality. The sitter's gesture is sober and, to a certain extent, distant from the viewer, largely due to the chromatic range used by the artist. He is elegantly dressed in a black frock coat, a waistcoat of the same colour with gold buttons and a white shirt with a wide collar. Both the clothes and the haircut indicate that this is an early 18th-century figure, dressed in romantic fashion and related to English dandyism. During this period, men's fashion experienced great splendour, focusing men's attention on their aesthetics. For this reason, terms such as currutaco or petimetre arose, in relation to those barons who were concerned with fashion, in such a way that it became a way of life, which affected both clothing and behaviour and attitudes. This trend aroused a great deal of criticism and led to these characters being misunderstood, a trait that fitted in perfectly with the Romantic ideal. Returning to the portrait itself, it is worth noting that it has a linear and very precise drawing. The author was interested in the truthful reflection of the qualities, and also in a meticulously treated light study, which is based on a spotlight that falls directly on the sitter's face, giving it a great warmth that is even reflected in the background. Of Roman origin, Eusebi is an artist of whom little is known of his early period in Rome or of his academic training in that city. However, in 1795 he moved to Madrid, where he began to work as a miniaturist and fan decorator, receiving important commissions such as those from the Casa Ducal de Osuna and Godoy himself. When the War of Independence broke out, Eusebi moved to Seville, Cadiz and finally London. He returned to Spain in 1814 to begin working under the king's tutelage and was appointed painter to the court in 1816. Two years later he was appointed concierge to the Royal Museum by the queen consort. He was one of the first people to work on the project of founding the Prado Museum, and his work consisted of selecting the works that formed part of the royal collections, with the intention of creating the Prado's own collection. In addition, his work also consisted of producing the first catalogues.