French school early 20th century, Portrait of a hunter, oil on canvas signed

French school early 20th century, Portrait of a hunter. Signed at the bottom right, the signature has not yet been deciphered. Oil on canvas. Framed: 47 X 39 cm. In good condition, small visible cracks on the black clothing. Minor repairs visible on the back of the canvas. Recently cleaned. This portrait of a hunter posing with great elegance is also a true genre scene, with an actual hunting scene depicted in the background to the left. It is as if the hunter is posing in the midst of the action. The artist has also represented a castle on the right. It is unknown whether this castle belonged to the model. The signature currently provides no clues about the artist's identity and, as it is undecipherable, it is also difficult to give an exact date, except by relying on the style. It is interesting to note that while the subject — the portrait of a hunter — fits within an ancient and classical tradition, the execution and style reveal a modernity, particularly in the use of flat colours. All of this evokes the turn of the century, between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. During this period, which saw the meeting of symbolism and Art Nouveau, the evolution from classicism to modernity was entirely conceivable.