Featured Need help identifying antique painting found at flea market

The entire painting has a faded/hazy appearance due to sinking possibly and craquelure along the outer edges. Dimensions are 12.5" x 15.5". The label on the back of the frame has the faintest appearance of a handwritten name or word and the style of stretcher with the use of keys seems to date it in the mid 18th century onwards.
Any help in identification would be much appreciated!

 

It's a history painting. Someone may be able to identify the event it depicts. The Man in the Iron Mask or some such. Think mid-18th century a bit early.

Debora

 

Agree. These paintings of historical scenes were popular in the 19th century, along with the interest in all things historical.

 

I couldn't put this together to make a scene I recognize, either historical or fictional. The imprisoned person (man, I think, based on shirt sleeve) is blessing/forgiving the kneeling man, who has removed his hat & has a badge on his cloak that probably indicates his status in society. Presumably he played a role in the imprisonment & upcoming execution. The young man is weeping on the shoulder of the old man, who has a guard/soldier behind him. The details of the man with a hat in the foreground are obscured. Is he carrying a lantern in his right hand? The old man's attention seems to be on this figure, not on the central action.

Is the old man carrying a book? Is the kneeling man balding, tonsured or wearing a skull cap?

 

Here's the similar old print from this painting https://yandex.com/images/search?po...ol-i-part-e-1_647_strafford.jpg&rpt=imagelike

 

And here's the painter https://www.wikiart.org/en/paul-delaroche

And a similar painting or this painting ? http://www.artnet.com/artists/paul-...rd-allant-au-supplice-095jQduG7xFw5PbjJyVqyA2

And the story about what is going on there in the scene https://thejadesphinx.blogspot.com/2014/04/strafford-led-to-execution-by-paul.html

 

.

 

Here’s Gerspees for comparison from Jadesphinx. Red book in Kerms, version, studded door lacks detail etc

 

In the original, the son is blond.

 

original is by Paul Delaroche painted 1836