François de Troy

Baron du Mesnil (according to the plaque affixed to the frame);
Wilson Darling Craig Wright, Philadelphia and Princeton;
Thence by inheritance to the late owner. 

Portrait is in a painted oval. Canvas is relined. The flesh tones and drapery are especially well preserved, retaining very nice detailing and coloration. Below the face is a patch of overpaint which is visible under UV as well to the naked eye. The hair of the sitter appears to be under a thick varnish, rendering any repairs very difficult to see. Only a few minor spots of repair scattered throughout, one under the right eye, one in left backgroung, and one below the left shoulder. Overall in lovely state. In a carved and giltwood frame with minor chips and one small loss on the bottom.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present painting, previously unknown to scholars, is one of the earliest works by François de Troy and can be dated to circa 1670, based upon comparison with two other early portraits, Portrait of Christian I von Mecklenburg-Schwerin, also of circa 1670, and Portrait of Comte Nils Bielke of 1679.  The most striking similarity between all three portraits is the stiff white-lace necktie worn by each of the sitters.¹

We are grateful to Dominique Brême for his comments on this lot and for identifying this portrait as an early work by François de Troy, based on photographs.    

 

1. See D. Brême, François de Troy 1645-1730, Paris 1997, p. 102, reproduced.