Oil on canvas, oval format On the back, two handwritten labels, one dating from the 19th century and the other from the 20th century, specifying the identity of the model and part of its provenance.
Dmensions with the frame 73x63 cm.
Presented in a carved and gilded wooden frame, accidents and losses. The frame is stamped H. Letonné (received master carpenter in Paris on June 9, 1773).
Provenance:
- Personal collection of the model,
- By descent, collection of Alexandre-Marie Colin (1798-1875), painter,
- Collection of Jules-Joseph Guiffrey (1840-1919), French art historian, member of the Academy of Fine Arts.
Exhibition:
- Paris, Palais du Trocadéro, Exposition des portraits nationaux, 1879, under no. 625: "By Challe. Charles Michel Ange 1718-1778) / In bust almost full face powdered wig white tie red velvet suit with gold frogging".
A student of Boucher and Le Moyne, Schalle was one of the most appreciated painters of his time and enjoyed immense success throughout Europe. His architectural drawings in the style of Piranesi contributed to his appointment in 1764 as designer of the king's chamber and cabinet, a position for which he produced numerous ephemeral architectures for royal festivals and great funerals. He played an essential role in the transition between the rococo or rocaille and classical styles and was one of the essential contributors to the creation of the aesthetic known as the Louis XVI style.