Portrait of Jacques-Philippe Boucault, surgeon-major of the King

Portrait of Jacques-Philippe Boucault, military surgeon to the Royal Navy, depicted here in hunter's clothing. With his rifle in one hand, he is stroking the head of his dog with the other, which is holding a game animal in its mouth.
The subject's coat of arms can be seen on the right.

Circa 1750
Later frame
Oil on canvas
Restoration
(with frame): H. 153 x W. 110 cm
(when viewed) H. 129 x W. 94 cm

Jacques-Philippe Boucault was appointed surgeon-major of the King's ships in the Toulon department. He thus took part in the European conflict during the War of the Austrian Succession, during which Austro-Piedmontese troops penetrated Provence several times. At the end of this war, several soldiers were ennobled. Jacques-Philippe Boucault was ennobled in March 1753, by a letter of patent from the King, who granted him his personal coat of arms, which can be seen on our painting (i.e. after 1753): "Argent, a fess Gules, charged with an escallop Or, between two mullets Or, and between three trees Vert, two in chief and one in base".
Jacques-Philippe Boucault also took part in the Battle of Rossbach (1757) in the armies of Marshal de Richelieu during the Seven Years' War.
In 1732, Jacques-Philippe Boucault married Madeleine-Rose de Bernard, with whom he had three children, including two daughters who both married military men.