Jean-Baptiste Roy-Audy (Canadian, 1778-before 1848), Portrait of a Man

Oil on canvas, 1837 or 1839, signed and dated on the verso, framed.

Stretcher size 24 x 18 in.; Frame dimensions 28 x 22 in.

Jean-Baptiste Roy-Audy was a Canadian portrait artist and religious painter known for his work in early 19th-century Quebec. Originally from Saint-Vallier, he was primarily self-taught but developed a refined and expressive style that captured the character and dignity of his sitters. His work was influenced by the neoclassical traditions of European portraiture while maintaining a uniquely Canadian sensibility. Roy-Audy's subjects included members of the clergy, political figures, and prominent citizens, reflecting the social hierarchy of his time. In addition to portraiture, he contributed to religious art, producing works for churches and religious institutions, which played a crucial role in preserving Catholic iconography in early Canada.

Portraits by Roy-Audy are in the collections of the McCord Stewart Museum in Montreal, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Château Ramezay, Montreal.

The canvas has been cut and laid on new tacking edges and new stretchers; allover craquelure; minor areas of retouch visible under UV light to background, one small area on sitter's chin.