Antique European Oil Portrait on Tin of Vienna Professor

Antique European oil portrait on tin depicting a drawing professor in Vienna, dating to the late 19th or early 20th century.

The reverse bears a handwritten French label identifying the sitter as: “Zacharie, professeur de dessin à Vienne, ami de Barrelon et Figuière, fabricant de vitraux à Grigny,” translated as: “Zacharie, drawing professor in Vienna, friend of Barrelon and Figuière, stained-glass makers in Grigny.”

The sitter may possibly be Julian Oktawian Zachariewicz-Lwigród (1837–1898), the Polish architect, professor, and rector educated in Vienna. The inscription identifying the sitter as a “drawing professor in Vienna,” along with the sitter’s close resemblance to known photographs of Zachariewicz, suggests a possible connection.

Above this, written in pencil, is “Pierre-Ernest Prins 1838–1913,” suggesting an attribution to Pierre-Ernest Prins. The dates correspond exactly to the artist’s lifespan.

The portrait is exceptionally finely executed, with remarkable detail in the sitter’s expression, beard, clothing, and luminous blue eyes. He wears a high white collar, dark cravat, and black coat in a manner typical of educated middle- and upper-class men in the late 19th century, reinforcing the circa 1880–1900 date suggested by the label and attribution. The subtle modeling and precision of the brushwork are especially striking given the work’s size.

The portrait is presented in a later vintage wood frame with gilt finish and silk backing.

Measures 3 7/8” wide x 4 7/8” tall framed. Tin measures 3 1/8” wide x 4 1/4” tall.

Sourced from France.

Disclaimers: Paint loss and chippiness present to the portrait, particularly along the edges. The frame kickstand back is slightly bent.

About the Attributed Artist: Pierre-Ernest Prins was a French painter, engraver, and sculptor closely associated with the Impressionist circle. A lifelong friend of Édouard Manet, he married violinist Fanny Claus, who appears in Manet’s famous painting The Balcony. Prins exhibited alongside the early Impressionists and is especially known for his atmospheric pastels and landscapes. His work is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée Carnavalet, and other major museums. Confirmed works by Prins sell at auction in the several-hundred- to several-thousand-dollar range, depending on size and medium.

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