1700s Antique French Portrait Miniature on Ivory, Frame

Fine Art : Paintings : Miniature Paintings, Grand Tour

 

Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI period portrait minature, c. 1770-1800 - a handsome man with powdered wig and the most expressive eyes. He's in superb condition, immortalized there on his ivory wafer and perhaps at the peak of his political power. Who knows who he is, or what became of him. We know the French Revolution was not kind to many of the aristocracy of his time. Perhaps that be-wigged head met with a guillotine along with his King (Louis XVI). He remains in original frame here, though, with the old gilted foil monogram tucked under the glass on backing of the locket-type double frame. We had his mate listed separately, but she sold already. He's a single man now.

Good to very good. No chips or cracks on the ivory or glass, but there is a little moisture damage, as noted, on this magnificent little painting. No signature, but we did not open this one to see if there are notations in script on the backside. We'll leave that mystery for his next owner. A gem!

Item ID: 806mpman2