Oil on canvas, 54cm by 42cm.
The portrait was acquired in Rome in 1769 by the dealer James Byres for Brownlow, 9th Earl of Exeter (1725-1793), whilst he was on his second Grand Tour.
Jean Tassel (1608-1667) was a French artist, the son and grandson of artists who trained in the family studio in Langres.
He spent most of his working life in this provincial area, but is mentioned as having been in Rome in 1634.
