Daniel Valentine Riviere (1780–1854) - An Early 19th Century Regency Period English Antique Portrait of a Young Gentleman

A finely executed Regency portrait by Daniel Valentine Riviere, a noted British miniaturist and patriarch of the Riviere artistic dynasty. This intimate oval oil captures a young gentleman in formal attire — white cravat, dark coat — rendered with delicate brushwork and a soft palette that evokes the quiet dignity of early 19th-century portraiture.

The sitter’s gaze is direct yet reserved, his features sensitively modelled in the style typical of Riviere’s work, which often graced the salons of Marylebone and Westminster. 

This piece is not merely decorative — it is a window into the social fabric of Georgian England, painted by an artist who exhibited at the Royal Academy and taught both art and singing to London’s elite.

Artist Biography

Daniel Valentine Riviere (1780–1854) trained at the Royal Academy Schools and exhibited from 1823 to 1840. He was a drawing master and miniaturist, known for his refined technique and familial legacy: father to William and Robert Riviere, and grandfather to Briton Riviere RA. His daughter Anna was a celebrated opera singer who married composer Henry Rowley Bishop.

Provenance: England. Early 19th century.

Material: Oil on canvas.

Condition: Please refer to the images. The canvas has been professionally re-lined, with minor areas of overpainting visible under UV inspection. The gilt frame shows age-appropriate knocks but retains its decorative integrity.

Dimensions: Canvas (oval): 23 × 17 cm (9 × 6.5 in)

For the art collector, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a work by Daniel Valentine Riviere, whose portraits are seldom seen outside institutional collections. This piece offers not only aesthetic charm but historical depth — ideal for collectors of Regency portraiture, British miniaturists, or those curating a narrative of artistic lineage.