Desbuissons François-hippolyte, Set Of 3 Miniatures On Ivory, 18th Century

Set of 3 miniatures on ivory representing an infantry officer wearing the medal of the Order of Saint-Louis, portrait of a young boy in a blue suit and white turban, portrait of a lady in a white dress with a pink bow monogrammed HD and dated 1776 (signature only on this portrait). These monograms are those of the painter Desbuissons François-Hippolyte known as Hipolite (1745-1807), a student on October 1, 1758 at the Royal Academy of Paris, protected by Joseph-Marie Vien. He was then living with his mother at Mr. Moret's caffé du Palais royal on the corner of rue Fromenteaux. François-Hippolite married Catherine-Françoise Huet who gave him a son, Joseph-Auguste Desbuissons, known as Auguste Hipolite (1770-1845), at the time of this birth, the couple lived on rue Guénégaud in Paris. They chose Joseph-Ignace Cordes, first clerk to the extraordinary wars, as their godfather, and Marie-Elisabeth Le Chantre, minor daughter of Pierre, musician, as their godmother. By sentence of the Châtelet of Paris of January 2, 1777 pronounced on the 11th of the said, the separation of property between François Hippolyte Desbuissons of the royal academy of painting and his wife was pronounced, at the request of his wife. The painter's material situation explains this measure. Indeed, his debts were accumulating. On August 30, 1786, a sentence of the Châtelet forbade the creditors of François-Hippolyte Desbuissons, miniature painter, from attempting to attack his person and property. Member of the academy of Saint-Luc in 1786, he also appears to have been a member of the academy of Rouen. According to Bedouret, he may have spent a few years in this city between 1770 and 1786, where he would have been linked to Jean-Baptiste Descamps who was then his son's teacher in 1786 in Paris. Hipolite is especially known for his profiles painted in monochrome on a dark background, in gouache on ivory. We note the slightly pink complexion given to the flesh and the remarkable pearly blue effect that emerges from some of these monochromes. Several of these miniatures are exhibited at the Carnavelet Museum, Louvre, Rouen, Nantes, etc. Provenance of these miniatures: old family including in particular Simon-Bernard Joly de Rosgrand (1740-1802), shipowner and supercargo of the ships of the Compagnie des Indes in Lorient. By descent, property of Saint-Malo. Dimensions of the miniatures, boy H4.5 cm x W3.8 cm, Officer H4.2 cm x W3.2 cm (small restorations and micro crack), Lady H3.8 cm x W3 cm, diameter of the hoops 5.8 cm. The whole in a Louis XVI style gilded bronze frame: length 16.5 cm (two glasses have been replaced by plexiglass). Good condition. Shipping costs, contact us.