Featured Oil portrait

New to oil paintings and almost zero knowledge, can anyone help me age this? Signature on back is badly faded, canvas frame is warped. Is that repairable? Picked it up for almost nothing just due to the fact I liked the aged look and it will go well in my house. any information would be great, thanks in advance! The nail was holding the canvas onto the frame pictured. Figured that may help identify age more than anything.

 

Here is pic of signature close up. Maybe can make out “o-u-x” at the end but wouldn’t be surprised if it is French as I am in Texas and Louisiana has a deep French history.

 

The painter did a good job, but later owners didn't.
It has serious condition issues, but if you don't mind that, and like it for your own house, that's fine. Be prepared for more paint loss and possible tearing over the years though.

 

There seem to be at least three lines of writing on the back. It might be worthwhile taking photos in different lighting situations to see if you can bring it out more. Any sign of a signature on the front?

Scary fellow isn't he?

 

Just protecting his right to be on the painting, that's all.

 

With his pop-up collar and cravet likely to be 1860s. Civil War-ish.

Debora

 

It looks like Lamoreux to me (the writing on the back).

 

Thank you all for the feedback! The ink on back is terribly illegible and this is probably the best pic I can get. No signs of signature on the front, could’ve been one on the bottom but paint loss destroyed any chance of that

 

Not to steal your thread but it reminded me of this portrait I have. looks like the same clothing.

 

Tweaked it a bit, I agree it looks like it begins with La-, maybe Lo-, and ends with -eux

 

I'm just throwing this out there after playing with this for a while....and thinking that the first letter is a J....my interpretation may make NO sense whatsoever.....I couldn't find a "J" that matched in my pile of scripts! AND maybe that's not a legitimate 'dot' between the 'u' and the 'x'.....ALSO, below what I posted, an inverted image of your signature....SOMETIMES helps show up siggys.....but not always.....

 

There is more writing to the left of the L that is getting clipped out of your photos. Maybe a first name.

 

I saw that smallaxe, down below too!!!

 

Oh my Gncaaron! He looks cranky

 

The letter next to the U could be a C not an O.

 

These are the lines of writing I see.

 

Y'all surely have better eyes than I do, but I don't think the first letter is an "L" - I think it could be an "S" from the aged lettering style.

 

I believe an "L" would be more "flourished" than what is shown, if indeed the age is the mid-1800s.

 

You have very good eyes, @say_it_slowly , thanks!