Portrait Of Louis-alexandre De Bourbon (1678-1737) (presumed) Count Of Toulouse 17th

Superb and large portrait, presumed of Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon (1678-1737) legitimate son of King Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan.

Allegorical work, the young prince is represented here under the features of St-Jean Baptiste child, he is identifiable by his attributes: the cross and the lamb.

Allegorical paintings were a popular subject among 17th century painters such as Hyacinthe Rigaud, Jean François de Troy, Antoine Coypel or Pierre Mignard to name a few.

This oil on canvas is very well treated, the colors are bright. The child’s soft face, drapes and lamb are finally executed. A beautiful light illuminates this allegorical painting, which reinforces the divine character attributed to the prince.

This late seventeenth century painting presents a beautiful network of cracks.
The work is in very good condition (formerly rentoilée), it is sold with its gilded frame that perfectly enhances it.

Frame dimensions: 93 x 79 cm
Dimensions out of frame: 71 x 57.5 cm

Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon (1678-1737) Count of Toulouse

Son of Louis XIV and his mistress the Marquise de Montespan, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon was legitimized in 1681 and received the title of Count of Toulouse, then that of Duke of Penthièvre in 1697 and Duke of Rambouillet in 1711. Appointed admiral of France at the age of five, he was only twelve when he accompanied his father to Holland, where he was wounded at the siege of Namur. In 1702, the Count of Toulouse took the head of a squadron fighting in Messina and Palermo to assert the rights of the grandson of Louis XIV to the Crown of Spain under the name of Philip V. On 24 August 1704, he fought the British in Malaga and inflicted heavy losses despite the lack of a decisive victory. In all his battles, the Count of Toulouse showed great courage.
He married out of love in 1723 Marie Victoire Sophie de Noailles, Marquise de Gondrin, then considered one of the most beautiful and intelligent young women of the court, and who presided over a famous salon. The king his father declared his children princes of blood giving them preference over other nobles and raising them above them, a decision that provoked a strong dissension in the aristocracy. Although the Earl of Toulouse was a supporter of his brother the Duke of Maine, he had little interest in palace intrigues and remained a simple member of the Regency from 1715 to 1723. This institution also authorized him to restore the navy.
The Count of Toulouse was much appreciated at court. The memoirist Saint-Simon says of him that he knows how to win hearts by his gentleness and pleasant manners, by his sense of justice and generosity. The daughter of the Count of Toulouse married the Duke of Chartres and gave birth to the future King Louis-Philippe.

The photos are taken in natural light.
Neat packaging.
Shipping costs at the expense of the buyer.
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