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Süleyman Aga

1777
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
The Tunisian ambassador Süleyman Aga, selected for his physical hardiness (to withstand the winter voyage), appeared to his French hosts stubborn regarding court rules. Restout rendered his supposed recalcitrance in this portrait, painted at Süleyman’s request. Although overseas visitors were encouraged to wear indigenous dress for their audience, small weapons such as the dagger tucked into his sash here were not permitted in the king’s presence. The official record mentions that Süleyman presented "cartloads" of gifts, including two lion cubs for the Menagerie.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Süleyman Aga
  • Artist: Jean Bernard Restout (French, Paris 1732–1797 Paris)
  • Date: 1777
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: Unframed: 31 7/8 × 26 3/4 in. (81 × 68 cm)
    Framed: 43 5/16 × 36 1/4 × 3 1/8 in. (110 × 92 × 8 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper, Bequest of Jean-Marie de Silguy, 1864 (873-1-597)
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts