Circle of PHILIPPE DE CHAMPAIGNE (France, 1602 - 1674); 17th century. "Portrait of a clergyman". Oil on canvas. Relined. It has small flaws in the right area. Measurements: 53 x 43 cm; 75 x 66 cm (frame). In this work the painter offers us the portrait of descriptive character, in which an elderly man is presented, magnificently captured in his psychology by the author. It is a long bust portrait, in which the figure is inscribed on a neutral background of ocher tones, which monumentalizes the figure and invites the viewer to focus all his attention on the protagonist. It is this atmosphere that invites the viewer to pay attention to the face, his features and what he wants to convey. Thus, one senses that the author's intention is based on capturing the character and psychology of the character. Phillipe Champaigne was a painter of the French Baroque period born in Brabançon, one of the greatest exponents of the French school. He was a founding member of the Académie de peinture et de sculpture in Paris, the leading art institution in France in the 18th century. Champaigne produced a large number of paintings, mainly religious works and portraits. Influenced by Rubens early in his career, his style became more austere. Philippe de Champaigne remains an exceptional painter thanks to the brilliance of the colors in his paintings and the severe strength of his compositions. He depicted the entire French court, the French high nobility, royalty, senior members of the church and state, parliamentarians and architects, and other notables. His portrait of the poet Vincent Voiture was created around 1649 as the frontispiece to Voiture's published works (published posthumously in 1650). The portrait is highly unusual, as Champaigne later modified it as a portrait of a religious figure, Saint Louis (King Louis IX), to allow Voiture's daughter to accompany her when she entered a convent In depicting their faces, he refused to show a transient expression, instead capturing the psychological essence of the person. Dimensions 53 x 43 cm; 75 x 66 cm (frame).