Jean-Baptiste van Loo

Anonymous sale ('From a Private Collection'), New York, Christie's, 15 January 1986, lot 143.

"The following condition report has been provided by Sarah Walden, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has a fairly old lining and strong old stretcher. There is one seam up the right side. The restoration is comparatively recent, and the paint surface is remarkably undamaged and unworn. Quite recently however the lining has ceased to hold the paint firmly in some areas, and patches of raised flakes are starting to develop, with one or two flakes having recently fallen. This weakness in the link between the canvas and the paint (which would be immediately remedied by renewing the lining) is mainly in the upper part of the painting, with some lost flakes in the upper right corner, various patches of slightly raised paint above the head and above the outstretched hand, incipiently loose places evident in the column, a wider patch of raised paint in the armour over the breast plate, smaller places near the white drapery below, and other patches in the table on the left, with a recently lost flake in its leg. There are one or two older retouchings: one broad old retouched loss (about three inches by one) in the ermine on the left side, a vertical in the top left corner about five inches long and a little vertical under the table with a patch of retouching at the base edge by the leg of the table. Elsewhere there are just a few minor touches in the column and the sky including one narrow vertical scratch under the outstretched hand, a small touch on the shoulder, a little horizontal line by the hilt of the sword, and light wear in the right of the hair. The craquelure in the head has been lightly muted, but the face is perfectly intact, and throughout the paint is in a remarkably fine unworn state. For such a large painting to remain so well preserved with scarcely any accidental damage is rare. The surface should urgently be consolidated. This report was not done under laboratory conditions."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

This is one of several full-length portraits by Van Loo of the young Louis XV, and was probably executed in the year of his majority, 1723, when he took full control of government, wresting power from the Régent, his great-uncle Philippe, Duc d'Orléans. A slightly larger version (205 by 171 cm), in which the pose and surrounding paraphernalia mirrors that of the present work, is in the Château de Versailles,¹ while another, in which Louis stands more front-on, his pointing right index-finger now tucked in, and with a different background arrangement, is also in Versailles.²  Further versions of this latter are in Nice, Musée Chéret and the Musée de Perpignan.

The composition of all of these full-lengths would appear to derive from Van Loo's large equestrian portrait of Louis XV, painted in collaboration with Charles Parrocel, which was commissioned in 1723 by the Surintendance for Charles de Lorraine.³  Louis is depicted in similar armour and costume, astride his horse, similarly turned three-quarters to the left and his right arm outstretched. Most subsequent depictions of Louis followed this original design, including, for example, Carle Van Loo's 1751 full-length portrait which was exhibited at the Salon in that year.⁴

The painting is offered in its original carved giltwood and gessoed Regency frame surmounted by a pierced, embossed and crowned cresting holding three fleurs-de-lys, and a similarly carved central cartouche to the apron incised Donné Par Le Royam., the whole further carved with rocaille, stylised scroll, floral and lambrequin motifs.

1.  Inv. No. MV6942 ; see C. Constans et al., Musée National du Château de Versailles, vol. II, Paris 1995, p. 897, no. 5066, reproduced.
2.  Inv. No. MV2175; Idem., p. 898, no. 5068, reproduced.
3.  Inv. No. MV3749; Idem, p. 897, no. 5063, reproduced.
4.  For a studio copy of which see Idem, p. 896, no. 5059, reproduced.