FRENCH SCHOOL CIRCA 1900 Academy of a young man with a beard Oil on canvas Height 46 cm - Width 38 cm Our academy of a young bearded man, with loose hair and a proud, fierce air, could be likened to the "Gallic" type, a popular theme in the 19th century. Against a backdrop of rising nationalism throughout Europe, the French reappropriated their pre-Roman past, particularly the legend of Vercingetorix. The Gallic chieftain was seen as the figurehead of national independence, the freedom of the people, bravery and sacrifice.