A Portrait of a Royal Princess

Oil on canvas representing a royal princess. Presumed portrait of Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, daughter of the king Louis XIV and of the Marquise de Montespan, famous mistress of the king.

The hairstyle is typical of fashion under Louis XIV in this period of the 17th century. The princess wears on her shoulders an ermine coat symbolizing her belonging to the royal family, as well as her purple-red coat.
The painting has its original gilt carved oak frame from the Louis XIV period
An inventory number on the chassis - 6753 corresponding to a castle collection.
Dimensions without frame : 41 x 33 cm.
France.
17th century.

Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, said "la Seconde Mademoiselle de Blois", was born 4th May 1677 at the Maintenon Castle and died 1st February 1749 in Saint-Cloud. She is the legitimized daughter that Louis XIV secretly had with the Marquise de Montespan. Together with his brother, the count of Toulouse, she is the fruit of the reconciliation of the king with the Marquise de Montespan after their separation in 1675. The king married her with his nephew Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres future Regent, and granted her a considerable dowry of two million pounds. The couple had eight children. In 1701 she became the second lady of the Court, in 1715 she was the first lady of the kingdom.