JEAN-FRANÇOIS SABLET (Morgues, 1745-Nantes, 1819) PORTRAIT OF A MAN IN A LANDSCAPE Canvas mounted on board French frame circa 1800 Portrait of man, canvas mounted on cardboard 32 x 25 CM - 12,6 x 9,8 IN. Son of Jacob Sablet and older brother of Jacques, painter and art dealer, Jean-François Sablet came to Paris in 1767 where he was a pupil of Vien. He stayed in France, visiting Rome in 1792 and settling permanently in Nantes in 1805. Charged with decorating the Bourse in 1808, he executed six large grisaille compositions in imitation of bas-relief, recounting the Emperor's visit. These works have disappeared, but the Musée Dobrée in Nantes still has some preparatory drawings. Jean-François Sablet is best known today for his small-format portraits, such as the Portrait of Dobrée père (Nantes, Musée Dobrée), his Self-portrait and the portrait of Cacault (Nantes, Musée des Beaux-Arts). In a private communication with the work's owner, Anne van de Sandt clarified the attribution to François Sablet.