Offered by Franck Baptiste Paris
Important presumed portrait of Marie-Anne de Bourbon richly dressed, mid-thigh, three-quarters turned, life-size.
The young woman is portrayed seated, leaning with her left arm on a giltwood console, she delicately pinches between her fingers a transparent silk scarf embroidered with gold.
Her head turned towards the viewer, a thoughtful and serene gaze, her cheeks slightly rosy, she timidly sketches a half-smile.
She has her hair dressed according to the fashion of late 17th century "à la fontange"; her hair is powdered and pulled back, held in place by a pink ribbon adorned with a row of pearls, two locks frame her face, large curls fall over her shoulders.
She is dressed in a white blouse and a low-cut blue velvet dress, with short, flared sleeves, raised by hooks made of sapphires set in gold to expose the fine lace of her shirt. The intense blue of her dress accentuates the pearly whiteness of her complexions.
She is wrapped in a large fabric that comes back to her knees in a studied arrangement to highlight the rich crimson brocade embroidered with gold threads with foliage and foliage patterns and lined with gray satin, which magnifies the sumptuousness of her costume. .
Sh is installed in a loggia of a palace against the background of a fluted pilaster with a balustrade, behind which grow cypress and rose bushes.
A harmonious light focused on the model contrasts with the dark background of the background, the milky flesh of the young woman is highlighted as well as her silky fresh skin. The fabrics benefit from a careful treatment in the finesse of lace and embroidery, combined with skillful brushstrokes to shape the folds of the fabrics. The mannered body language coupled with the innate elegance of the young princess enlivens the portrait without making it rigid.
The refinement of the staging, the presence of the giltwood console, a model close to the works of Philippe Caffieri for the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, the sartorial richness and the large format of the portrait amplify the importance of the model and testify to her princely rank.
The combination of several elements such as the gestures of the hands, the colors, the light and the rendering of the fabrics allow us to attribute our work to one of the most remarkable portrait painters of the era of Louis XIV, François de Troy. The young woman’s hairstyle, costume, baroque influence and solemnity suggest the date around 1680-1690.
Attributed to François de Troy.
Oil on canvas, dimensions: h. 113 cm, l. 88 cm
Louis XIV style gilt wood frame.
Framed dimensions: h. 133 cm, l. 108 cm
Related work
Portrait of Marie-Anne de Bourbon, circa 1706, Versailles castle
The delicate pinching of a flower stalk is reminiscent of our work, as is the blue dress, and soft lighting. The princess flaunts the same hairstyle with the same beaded ribbon.
