An unknown self-portrait by Louis-Marie Autissier

Vanderkindere, from Belgium, sold on 12 November 2019 a "Louis-Marie Autissier(?)" "Portrait of a man", a miniature (10 by 8 cm) on ivory, estimated at 400 to 600 Euro.

Louis-Marie Autissier (1772-1830) was French, but lived mostly in Brussels from 1796 on. He was court painter to Louis Bonaparte and later to William I of the Netherlands (in both cases then king of what is now Belgium), and painted the miniature portraits of many famous and rich people from his time, including Wellington. he was a real artist though, making lots of money and dying a poor man anyway. He was the most important miniature painter of his time in Belgium, and had a lot of pupils. His works still fetch considerable sums.

The miniature is signed "Auti(f)ier" according to the auction house. Comparing this signature to genuine Autissier signatures shows that it is the largely same (see especially the distinctive A, and the strange t). Comparing the style and quality of the painting with genuine works by Autissier also shows no discernible difference. The only thing unusual is that this is a grisaille, where normally Autissier worked in colour. In favour of the Autissier attribution is that he worked and lived for years in Brussels, the place of the auction, which increases the chances of a work surfacing here. 

But the main argument why this is almost certainly by Autissier is that it is not just a "portrait of a man", but it is clearly a self-portrait, showing the same man (but a different age and position) as in the only other self portrait by Autissier I could find, a work from 1817 in the Nationalmuseum of Sweden.

Looking at the faces in close-up is rather convincing: the bushy hair, the eyebrows, the large, clear eyes, the nose (with a slight bulge at the top), the chin, ... I would guess that he is a few years younger in the bottom image though. 

So why do I only discuss this work now, a few days after the auction has ended? Well, I bid on it, and it is a bit stupid to draw everyone's attention to a work you want to win for yourself of course...

Sadly, it ended at 1,800 Euro, and I didn't win it! Still a very reasonable price.