Pair Hst Portraits Of The Marquis De Bellevue's Wife Uniform F. Birotheau 19th Century

Pair of oval oils on canvas depicting the portrait of the Marquis de Bellevue* (1854-1929) in the uniform of a second lieutenant of the cavalry, with the Bellevue family coat of arms on the side, as well as his wife née de Boutemont (1861-1922), painted by Ferdinand Birotheau** in 1881-82, in gilded stuccoed wooden frames, from the 19th century. These paintings are in good general condition. Signed F. Birotheau and dated 1882 for the woman and 1881 for the marquis. Please note: dirt on the frames, wear and tear, see photos. The Marquis de Bellevue is the great-grandson of Victoire de Lambilly, Countess of la Villirouët, considered the first lawyer in Brittany and France who saved her husband by pleading his case during the Revolution. The Count of Bellevue is the author of the book "Une Femme Avocat Mémoires de la Comtesse de la Villirouët" (1902) retracing these events and reproducing a painting by Victoire de Lambilly that we are also selling (accompanied by the book). This painting comes from the Breton family of La Guerrande, related to the family of La Villirouët by marriage. Thus, the family of La Guerrande, current owner of the castles of La Touraille and Lémo, descends from Count Paul de la Villirouët (1829-1919), mayor of the commune of Augan (Morbihan) between 1871 and 1900. Thus on the death of the Count, his possessions passed to his son-in-law Pierre Libault de la Chevasnerie, whose eldest daughter married René de la Guerrande Count of Hurlières (1891-1964). * François Xavier Fournier, Marquis de Bellevüe (1854-1929). The Marquis de Bellevüe was a local scholar and author of around fifty historical essays on the regions of Ploërmel and Paimpont. He was born at the Château de la Touraille in Augan on 3 July 1854, from a family of eight children born from the marriage of his father Édouard–Jean Fournier with Aglaë Marie Pauline Victoire Mouësan de la Villirouët. He was therefore the great-grandson of Victoire de Lambilly, Countess of la Villirouët. He enrolled at the Saumur Cavalry School in 1874. He left the school in 1876, top of his class. After a few years as a non-commissioned officer, he returned to the Saumur Cavalry School as a cadet and graduated as a second lieutenant in 1881. He had his first assignment with the 25th Dragoon garrisoned in Nantes. However, he resigned on July 20, 1883, a month after his wealthy marriage 1 with Gabrielle Regnault de Boutemont who lived in the Château du Moulin-Roul in Soudan (Loire-Atlantique). He did not leave the army completely since he became a reserve lieutenant in the Cavalry two years later, then captain in 1887. He was now able to devote himself to his two passions, poetry and local history. He launched his political career in 1888 as a municipal councilor of Soudan. He was then elected general councillor of Loire-Inférieure for the canton of Châteaubriant in 1893. He continued his political career as general councillor of Loire-Inférieure (now Loire-Atlantique) until the 1925 election, in which he did not stand again. He died on 22 May 1929 at the Château de la Touraille in Augan. ** Ferdinand Birotheau (1819-1892) was a French painter. He is best known for his portraits, particularly those of notables from Rennes, now kept at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rennes: Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Martenot, Portrait of Jules Jan, Portrait of Rallier du Baty, Portrait of Canon Duver. Some of these works are also kept at the municipal museum of La Roche-sur-Yon: Self-portrait (1863), Full-length portrait of Napoleon. He is the author of a Mise au Tombeau at the Saint-Louis church in La Roche-sur-Yon. Artist highly rated on ArtPrice. ATTENTION: FOR A DELIVERY QUOTE CONTACT US WITH CITY AND COUNTRY OF DESTINATION. BE CAREFUL: PLEASE CONTACT US FOR THE DELIVERY PRICE. Dimensions Frame 95 cm x 82.5 cm Oil 75 cm x 59.5 cm Reference: 900 738 All photos are on: www.antiques-delaval.com