Julius LeBlanc Stewart

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work has been restored and could be hung in its current state. The canvas is unlined. However, there are two patches attending to small breaks in the upper right, a patch dealing with a break in the upper left, and another reinforcing a break in the center of the left side. It can be seen with the naked eye that there is a fair amount of restoration across the top edge and in the upper left and upper right corners. The areas of restoration to both corners are in triangles measuring about 4 by 5 by 7 inches. There are restorations in the top of the painting, some of which enter the red feathered ornaments in the figure's helmet. There are other restorations in the center of the left side running down into the grey line of the soldier's coat and into the lower left corner. The background on the right shows restoration along the edges and a few nearer the head in the right background. In the face, there are a few retouches in the cheek on the right, in the ear on the right and in the nose. The canvas was probably rolled at some point, and there are repeated horizontal lines of loss visible throughout the figure all the way to the bottom edge. There are restored losses in the sword, and also a fairly large group of losses in the highlight of the breastplate in the center of the work. While the losses are not particularly modest, the painting does not appear to be overcleaned, except possibly in the upper right and upper left corners. The restorations could be applied more accurately, but the work could also be hung in its current state.
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.

Julius Stewart expatriated with his family from Philadelphia to Paris in 1865.  As a youth, his entrée to the ateliers of the city’s most famous artists was eased by his father William Hood Stewart (1820-1892), a wealthy businessman who held one of the most important contemporary collections of the nineteenth century.  While the younger Stewart first became a student of Eduardo Zamacoîs, his entrance to the studio of Jean-Léon Gérôme was followed by study with Raimundo de Madrazo. This training, both academic and informal, would have a lasting influence on his style no matter how modern the subject of his paintings became.  While many of Stewart’s works of the 1870s remain untraced, this portrait evidences his affinity for the detailed, naturalistic rendering of his sitters. Dressed in the heavy body armor of a cavalry member of the French cuirassiers, it is possible that this portrait is a tribute to a soldier lost in battle. Such portraits made up a significant part of the artist's production of the 1870's and anticipated a lifelong interest in painting his wide circle of influential family and friends.