Portrait of the Duke de Loubat 20th century

Frédéric Charles Victor de Vernon created this portrait of the Duke de Loubat around 1910. Just imagine him, the artist, bent over this tiny thing, his tools like miniature paintbrushes, coaxing form out of the metal, almost like drawing. I can picture Vernon in his studio, squinting through a lens, trying to capture not just a likeness, but a sense of the Duke's presence, his authority. The way the light catches the Duke's brow, that serious set of his mouth – Vernon’s got an eye for detail, a sculptor's touch. On the reverse side, the crest looms large, lions rampant, draped fabric, a whole heraldic drama playing out. This isn't just a portrait, it's a little world, a universe of meaning and intention pressed into metal. And it makes you think about the endless ways artists find to leave their mark, to make something that lasts. It’s a conversation across time, echoing and influencing each other's visions.