‘Portrait of a man’, who was 18th-century Corsican independence leader, goes on sale

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Kim Willsher in ParisDecember 8, 2025 at 06:00 AM

AI Summary

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A portrait of Pascal Paoli, the 18th-century Corsican independence leader, painted by Sir William Beechey, is being auctioned in Corsica on the 300th anniversary of Paoli's birth. The painting, previously sold as "portrait of a man" in 1994, has been held in private collection since then. Paoli, revered in Corsica as "Father of the fatherland," led the island's fight for independence from Genoese rule, establishing a republic with a modern constitution that influenced American revolutionaries. After French troops invaded, Paoli was exiled to England where he met King George III. The auctioneer emphasizes the painting's cultural and historical significance to Corsica, hoping it remains accessible to Corsicans.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Napoleon Bonaparte ×270% Jean-Jacques Rousseau ×280% Samuel Johnson 80% Pascal Paoli ×7100% Corsica ×4100%

Keywords

pascal paoli 100% corsica 90% independence leader 80% portrait 70% 18th-century 70% enlightenment 60% auction 60% constitution 50% british artist 40% cultural significance 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Corsica

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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pascal paoli corsica independence leader portrait 18th-century enlightenment auction constitution british artist cultural significance

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