Portrait of a Man With Beret 

This is Eduard von Gebhardt’s ‘Portrait of a Man With Beret,’ likely painted in the late 19th or early 20th century, using oil on canvas. While portraiture has a long history, Gebhardt’s brushwork feels particularly attentive to the texture of skin, fabric, and even the way light reflects off these surfaces. Looking closely, you can see how he’s built up the image layer by layer, almost sculpting with paint. This wasn't just about capturing a likeness; it was about conveying the weight and feel of the materials he was representing. This work shows how painting could be aligned with craft traditions, where the maker's skill and attention to material detail are paramount. It also reflects a broader shift in art, towards a more grounded, tactile approach, challenging older hierarchies that favored idealized representations over the messy realities of everyday life.