Lot 1249
After Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743). Jean Charles de Watteville. Oil on canvas, of the Marqués de Conflans (1605-1670) who was appointed by Philip IV of Spain as ambassador to the Court of Saint James in 1660 when Charles II of England ascended the throne. His appointment did not last long, however, for he was involved in an incident which cost him his ambassadorship. On October 10, 1661, the French and Spanish ambassadors in London sent delegations to welcome the new Swedish ambassador, but the delegations became embroiled in a fight which resulted in dead and wounded, the Spanish having got somewhat the better of the French (Samuel Pepys noted the confrontation in his diary). Louis XIV was outraged and declared his intention to declare war on Spain if the culpable parties were not punished. Thus ended de Watteville's ambassadorship to the English court. In 1666, under the regency of Mariana of Austria, he was appointed ambassador extraordinary to Rome, where he participated in the negotiations for the defense of Franche-Comté, and in 1668, he became ambassador to Portugal, where he died in 1670. Shortly before his death, Queen Mariana made him a knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. This narrows the time he could have had his portrait painted wearing the Golden Fleece to 1670.
Canvas relined; 33½ x 25"; framed: 40½ x 32". Label on stretcher identifying the sitter as de Watteville. The half length portrait shows de Watteville wearing armor with lace chemise, brown cape, wig and the order of the Golden Fleece. The painting was executed by a follower of Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743), a French Baroque painter of Catalan origin, who was considered the most important portraitist of the period. He was famous for his portraits of Louis XIV and the royals of Europe. Fine condition.
Estimated Value $7,500 - 10,000.
Ex Stedelijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Bruges, exhibition catalogue, 14 July-30 September 1962, p. 47, no. 490.
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| Realized $7,800 |
