Johann Baptist Lampi the Younger

George Bachelor, Miami, circa 1993;
Thence by descent to the present owner. 

This picture has an old relining. Overall the painting presents a very strong image to the naked eye and should be hung in its current condition. The coloration is fresh in the details and the sitters facial features and hair, as well as clothing, are still very much intact. UV light reveals a slightly milky varnish underneath which a few discernible retouches are visible. For example, a small area in the left background, as well as a couple small isolated retouches on the sitters right collar are visible, however there are no discernible retouches in the sitters face, hands, and the vast majority of his costume. Again this picture can be hung in its current state. In a carved giltwood frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Lampi received his training under the tutelage of his father Johann Baptist Lampi the Elder, whose success in various European courts made the father and son among the most sought after portraitists of the eighteenth century. Lampi the Younger began his career in Vienna at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste under Heinrich Füger and Hubert Maurer (1738–1818), before sojourning to St. Petersburg with his father, where they both executed portraits of members of the court of Catherine II. This handsome Portrait of a Gentleman was likely executed in Vienna, where Lampi the Younger returned to in 1805, was made a member of the Akadamie, and would remain for the remainder of his successful career.