FRANCOIS DE TROY (1645-1730) - Lot 59

Lot n° 59
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Estimation :
10000 - 15000 EUR
Result : NC
FRANCOIS DE TROY (1645-1730) - Lot 59
FRANCOIS DE TROY (1645-1730) Portrait of the Marquis de Barbezieux, son of Louvois (1668-1701) Oil on canvas H_106 cm W_76 cm Old varnish, restorations Our painting represents Louis-François-Marie Le Tellier de Barbezieux, Marquis de Barbezieux. He was the son of François-Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois, one of Louis XIV's most important ministers. After his father's death at the age of thirty-two, he took over as Secretary of State for War. Louvois had served the King for almost twenty years in a number of key government posts. As Minister of War, he was also one of Colbert's main opponents, taking over his position as Superintendent of the King's Buildings on the latter's death. His work as Secretary of State for War, from 1677 to 1691, left a lasting imprint. He radically reformed the French army, both in its administrative structure and in the way it conducted warfare in the field. His legacy to Louis XIV was a professional, disciplined and well-trained army, considered one of the most efficient in Europe. These reforms enabled France to make a lasting impact on the international stage, particularly during the conflicts that ravaged the Palatinate, to the great displeasure of Madame, the king's sister-in-law. At first, his son Louis-François-Marie Le Tellier successfully took over the position. However, his youth and taste for entertainment gradually distanced him from his responsibilities, leading to the sovereign's disappointment. As such, he was never elevated to the dignity of Minister of State, unlike his father. His untimely death left him no time to regain the king's full confidence. His remarriage in 1696 to the daughter of the Maréchal d'Alègre produced two daughters. Through one of them, the Marquis was the grandfather of the Duc de Richelieu and the Austrian Empress Elisabeth. Painted in half-feet, the portrait shows the Marquis wearing his armor and the cordon of the Order of the Holy Spirit, the supreme distinction of the French nobility. His posture evokes military command, as does the drapery tied around his waist, reinforcing the idea of authority. The quality and expressiveness of the hands, which are particularly meticulous, are reminiscent of Van Dyck's portraits, painted almost sixty years earlier, but which established the codes of the genre. François de Troy was born into a family of artists from Toulouse. Arriving in Paris at a very young age, he trained as a portrait painter with Claude Lefèbvre, a recognized master of the genre. His skills soon enabled him to specialize in court portraits, which did not prevent him from being admitted to the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in 1694 as a history painter. He painted many portraits of the great figures of the court. Among his pupils, his son Jean-François de Troy and Alexis-Simon Belle ensured the evolution and stylistic continuity of his studio. Our painting features old annotations towards the middle right, indicating the figure. On the back, we note the annotation "Largillière f 1695". Visible under UV light, the Le Tellier family coat-of-arms at top right.
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