Continental School, 18th century, oil on canvas portrait painting of a gentleman, possibly a botanist. Subject is depicted seated in a chair, facing left, in period blue dress coat and powdered wig, holding a pink gillyflower or stock branch. Blue sky and clouds in background. Unsigned. Older gilt and gesso cove molded frame with ribbon and lambs tongue molding. En verso old paper ink handwritten label, partially torn, reading "Matthiola Stock named after Peter Andrew Matthiola 1500-1577 Italian physician & celebrated Botanist". Sight – 29" H x 24" W. Framed – 37" H x 32" W. Provenance: Formerly of Maple Grove Estate, Knoxville, TN when a private residence, and published in Southern Accents magazine, May-June 1985 issue. CONDITION: Relined. Moderate alligator cracquelure overall with yellowed varnish. Bulge in lower quadrant center. Several scratches to lower quadrant, largest 4 1/2" L. 1/2" loss left at frame edge. Area of loss with inpainting 3/4" L. Areas of scattered inpainting in sky. Frame with scattered losses to gesso, largest approx. 4" long.