Théophile Bérengier
The Papakha, A Pre Revolutionary Nobleman From the Caucasus.
1892

About the Item

A large French oil on canvas portrait of a dignitary from the Caucasus by Théophile Paul Marie Bérengier. The painting is signed and dated bottom right and is presented in a fine gilded wood and plaster frame. A magnificent late nineteenth century portrait of a fine nobleman or dignitary in a beautiful silk costume and papakha wool hat. Bérengier has caught the character of the sitter, his deep brown eyes, whiskers and ruddy complexion a contrast against the fineness of his outfit. The subject's half wry smile inviting us to start a conversation and share a moment with him. A very strong yet charming and characterful composition beautifully executed. Berengier probably painted this portrait after his return from Paris to the port of Marseille, a centre of international trade he would no doubt have encountered characters from the four corners of the world here as subjects for his portraits. Théophile Paul Marie BÉRENGIER was born in 1851 in Marseille and died there in 1928. He was a painter of portraits and landscapes in the Post Impressionist style. He exhibited at the 'Salon du Blanc et Noir' in 1886. After having worked in Paris, he returned to Marseille. He retained a taste for precision, especially in the art of portraiture. Later, around 1890, when he painted landscapes, his touch was vigorous, his colours vibrant. The works of this period are meticulously prepared supporting a vigorous light from the glazes. This portrait is from this period and incorporates the best of his talent and experience as a painter. On his return he also produced the ceiling of the Café de l'Univers in Marseille. His works are held in various private collections and museums including the Musee d'Orsay. The papakha; Armenian: p‘ap‘akh, Azerbaijani: papaq, Chechen: holhazan-kuy; Georgian: papakhi, Russian: папа́ха, papakha) is a wool hat worn by men throughout the Caucasus and also in uniformed regiments in the region and beyond. The word papakha is of Turkic origin. There are two different Caucasian papakhas. One, called a papaha, is a high fur hat, usually made of karakul sheepskin. The hat has the general appearance of a cylinder with one open end and is set upon the head in such a way as to have the brim touch the temples. Some examples have ear-flaps which can be folded up when not in use. The other style is called a kubanka, and is similar to the papaha, but shorter and without ear-flaps. Papaqs are very important to mountain peoples of the Caucasus, where a man's hat is considered a very important part of his identity. Papakhi are donned by the Circassians, Chechens, Dagestanis, Ingush and other Caucasian tribes. Papakhas are also donned in Georgia mostly worn in mountainous regions of Pshavi, Khevi, Mtiuleti, and Tusheti. In 1855, after the campaigns in the Caucasus Mountains, the Papakha was introduced in the Russian army as an official part of the uniform for the Cossacks, and later for the rest of the cavalry. Papaq is also very common in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, as well as among the Uyghurs. The Caucasus is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically been considered as a natural barrier between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Mount Elbrus in Russia, Europe's highest mountain, is situated in the Western Caucasus. On the southern side, the Lesser Caucasus includes the Javakheti Plateau and the Armenian highlands, part of which is in Turkey. The Caucasus is divided into the North Caucasus and South Caucasus, although the Western Caucasus also exists as a distinct geographic space within the North Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus mountain range in the north is mostly shared by Russia and Georgia as well as the northernmost parts of Azerbaijan. The Lesser Caucasus mountain range in the south is occupied by several independent states, mostly by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, but also extending to parts of northeastern Turkey, northern Iran and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh.

Creator:

Théophile Bérengier (1851 - 1928, French)

Creation Year:

1892

Dimensions:

Height: 28.35 in (72 cm)Width: 24.02 in (61 cm)Depth: 1.38 in (3.5 cm)

Medium:

Canvas,Oil

Movement & Style:

Post-Impressionist

Period:

1890-1899