17th Century French School, Portrait Of A Saint, Oil

French School of the 17th Century
Portrait of a Saint, probably Saint Paul 
Oil on canvas transfered on cardboard
Oval 22.5 x 19 cm
Framed : 31 x 28 cm
In good condition, some inpaintings visble under UV light, recently cleaned.

The style and execution of this painting evoke the art of Jean Jouvenet (1644-1717). We are thinking in particular of one of his works depicting Saint Paul, who has the same physical characteristics as the model chosen here.
In any case, we are in the presence of a work painted at this time by a talented artist and the identification of the subject as a representation of Saint Paul makes sense
The relatively small size of the work suggests that it was intended for a private devotion. People of the time often chose a representation of their patron saint. 

It is interesting to note that at this time, revolutionised at the beginning of the century by the crude realism of Caravaggio, the representation of biblical figures is no longer idealised but scrupulously detailed, with all the art of portraiture. The saint seems to be represented as if absorbed in reflection, his gaze projected towards a point fixed in the lower right-hand corner.
We should also recognise Philippe de Champaigne's contribution to religious art and portraiture, with his insistence on the absorption of the models he depicts, implicitly perceived as meditating on a religious theme or image.