The successful entrepreneur Jean-Louis Beaudry had his portrait painted just as he was rising to political power: he would serve as mayor of Montreal and subsequently as a provincial legislative councillor. Beaudry is portrayed here as though in the middle of a conversation with the viewer. The pose is casual, and the liveliness of the sitter's expression is reinforced by the body's movement. The dangling right hand, with its extended forefinger, seems entirely natural, enhancing the powerful verisimilitude of this exquisitely executed work.
