Buchanan and Laing (Prima Finds)

Description

Miniature Portrait of Madame Sophie, Daughter of Louis XV painted latter part of the 18th century.

Miniature Watercolour of Madame Sophie or Sophie of France (1734-82), she was the sixth daughter and eighth child of Louis XV and his Queen consort Marie Leszczyńska.

The painting is after the portrait by Jean-Marc Nattier (1685-1766), and is believed to have been painted in 1748 when Sophie was 14 years old, and this original is hanging in the Palace of Versailles. Sophie is less well known than many of her seven sisters. Her birth was at Versailles, but unlike the older children of Louis XV, she was not raised at Versailles but was sent to live at the Abbey of Fontevraud in June 1738, with her older sister Madame Victoire and younger sisters Madame Thérèse and Madame Louise, because the cost of raising them in Versailles with all the status they were entitled to was deemed too expensive by Cardinal Fleury, Louis XV's chief minister.

The miniature is in its period, original brass easel back frame with cast ribbon finial. The watercolour is signed “Jean Guy”. The backing has an original remnant of the picture title “Sophie”. The fabric liner was originally a bottle green colour which has, over time, faded to a yellow/mustard ground.

Condition: Please refer to photographs, however, a general condition is that the miniature and its frame are in a good condition overall. The picture is in bright colours with no evidence of fading, however the background shows signs of discolouration around the edges. Fortunately, this has not affected the image nor main body of the picture. The frame is original and has been lightly cleaned, but not restored. The original strut is still properly attached to the main frame. In addition, there is an original ring above the back strut which has at some time sheared and been wrapped and retained. The new owner may wish to restore the ring to enable wall hanging.

Overall height - 11.5cm width - 8.5cms

Image area: height – 8.5cms: width - 6.5cms
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