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Late 17th century portrait of a French princess, daughter of Louis XIVcirca 1695
circa 1695
About the Item
Portrait of Françoise Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Orléans as Venus
A magnificent painting depicting the princess in all the splendour of her youth, Françoise Marie de Bourbon, known as the second Mademoiselle de Blois (Maintenon, 1677 - Paris, 1749), daughter of Louis XIV and Madame Montespan, future wife of the Regent.
Late 17th century, circa 1695
Pierre Gobert (Fontainebleau, 1662-Paris, 1744) and his workshop
Oil on canvas
Dimensions: h. 109 cm, w. 92 cm (42.91 in x 36.22 in)
Important 19th century Louis XIV style giltwood and gilt stucco stucco finely carved with foliage and scrolls.
Framed dimensions: h. 142 cm (55.9 inch), w. 126 cm (49.61 inch)
The princess is portrayed full-length seated on a chariot pulled by two doves floating in the sky.
Her slender face is draped in an ample antique blue dress, tied at the waist by a golden belt in allusion to the attribute of Venus (the belt of Venus gives the wearer an irresistible power of seduction). The cloth falls back and reveals her bare breast.
She holds the reindeer of her chariot in her right hand, while her left hand holds up a large flowing cloth, which serves as a canopy.
With her head slightly bowed, she looks at the viewer with confidence and assurance. The hairstyle, arranged in a high bun à la Fontanges whose curls are held in place by a diadem with a large ruby; It ends with long locks falling over the shoulder and nape of the neck, while on the front two loops frame the forehead. The oblong face with wide blue eyes, long nose and rosy full cheeks combined with porcelain skin indicate the young age of the princess.
The composition breaks with the tradition of Baroque ceremonial portraits dear to Louis XIV, solemn figures with heavy theatrical draperies, brocade and velvet dresses and countless jewels, signs of external wealth.
Thus, far from conventional representations, here the light and fluid fabrics in fresh colours associated with a natural environment highlight the model and the person portrayed, placing status or social hierarchy in the background.
Related works:
• Portrait of Françoise-Marie de Bourbon in Amphitrite, Palace of Versailles, inv. MV3739, h. 125 cm, l. 11 cm
• Portrait of Mademoiselle de Clermont on a chariot drawn by doves, Château de Chantilly, INV. n° 657, h. 93 cm, l. 73 cm. The identification of the model is erroneous, it is certainly Françoise Marie de Bourbon
• Portrait of Françoise-Marie de Bourbon in Galatea, Christie's New York auction, 23/01/2004
Curiously, none of these three versions is strictly identical, if the portrait at Versailles depicts the princess as Amphitrite on the waters, the figure and drapery are identical to our painting. At the same time, the portrait of Chantilly represents the princess as Venus on her chariot (identical position to our portrait), yet the arrangement of the drapery is not similar and is identical in the portrait at the Christie's sale where she is again in Galatea on the waves. This interchangeability is very characteristic of Pierre Gobert, who often worked on the same model, multiplying variants and versions according to orders.
Pierre Gobert (1662-1744)
Son of Jean Gobert, sculptor to the King, grandson of Jean Gobert the eldest, carpenter sculptor, brother of Jean Gobert, known as the "ordinary painter to the King" Pierre Gobert was born in Paris or Fontainebleau in 1662. He established himself by his elegant effigies as one of the very first gallant portrait painters. Received at the Academy of Painting on September 24, 1701, with the portraits of Corneille van Clève and Bon Boullogne, Pierre Gobert exhibited fifteen portraits at the Salon of 1704, and demonstrated its privileged access to the court: among these portraits are that of the Duchess of Maine and the little Duke of Brittany, the future Louis XV. Despite formidable competition, he had no difficulty in establishing his reputation. No doubt thanks to Elisabeth-Charlotte, Gobert was approached by the court of Lorraine in 1707, in order to paint the portrait of the Dukes of Lorraine, Elisabeth-Charlotte of Orléans and the four princesses. An impressive set of seventy portraits including original effigies and many replicas. It is likely that Gobert developed a studio during this period, since he seems to have operated back and forth between Paris and Lorraine, and even had portraits sent from Paris. Gobert thus obtained the title of ordinary painter of the Duke of Lorraine, and continued to deliver portraits to the court, notably in 1719 and 1721. He thus participated in the artistic influence of the court of Lunéville, which sought to be part of the wake of Versailles.
Back in Paris, on the strength of this prestigious introduction, which he took advantage of by bearing the title of “ordinary painter to the Duke of Lorraine”, Gobert then worked for the Condés and the Contis, and for the Prince-Elector Max Emmanuel of Bavaria. In 1737, the painter shone for the last time by presenting at the Salon one of his most ambitious portraits, that of the family of the Duke of Valentinois (Monaco, prince's palace). By the choice of his somewhat fixed attitudes, by the affected and graceful disposition of the fingers of his female models, by the use of historical travesties, by the depersonalized and flattering type of his resolutely placid faces, Gobert had managed to create thanks to his relentless and recognized work, a style which contrasted with the works of Largillierre and Rigaud, his contemporaries.
- Attributed to:Pierre Gobert (1662 - 1744, French)
- Creation Year:circa 1695
- Dimensions:Height: 55.9 in (141.99 cm)Width: 49.61 in (126.01 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:Late 17th Century
- Condition:Very good original condition, cleaned and revarnished by our professionnal art restorer.
- Gallery Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2433214105302
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