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Pierre-Adolphe HALL (1739-1793)
Portrait of Marie-Joséphine …
See original version (French)
195
-
Pierre-Adolphe HALL (1739-1793)
Portrait of Marie-Joséphine …
See original version (French)
Estimate €6,000 - €8,000
Voluntary lot
Description
Pierre-Adolphe HALL (1739-1793)
Portrait of Marie-Joséphine Louise de Savoie (1753-1810),
Countess of Provence, circa 1785
Gouache and watercolour.
D. 8 cm
Annotations of provenance on verso.
In a precious frame.
Provenance :
- J. Pierpont Morgan, Williamson cat. n°486
- Christie's, London, Catalogue of the famous collection of miniatures of the British and foreign schools, the property of 1. Pierpont Morgan, 24 June 1935, lot. 557
- Sotheby's, London, 4 December 1985, lot. 103
- Collection of Dr. Erika Pohl-Stroher
Bibliography :
- Charles Dupechez; La Reine Velue, Paris 1993
- Régine de Plinval; Pierre Adolphe Hall, Paris 2000
- L. R. Schidlot; Miniatures in Europe, Graz 1964, p. 339
- G. C. Williamson; Catalogue of the Collection of Miniatures, the property of. Pierpont Morgan vol 3, London. 1907, n. 486 p 12
A CITES document will be given to the buyer.
Given the physiognomy of the Countess of Provence and its similarity to portraits painted by Joseph Boze around 1785-1786, this miniature can be dated to around 1785. This date coincides with an important period in the life of Marie-Joséphine de Savoie, marked by the arrival of Jeanne-Marguerite de Gourbillon, who was officially attached to the princess's cabinet on 10 April 1785. Hall worked for the entourage of the Provence family at a time when the image of the countess was particularly popular. Charles Dupechez describes this period as a veritable moral renaissance for the princess: "the princess is quite simply being resuscitated. Her
Her taste for life is awakening...". This development could explain the abundance of portraits of the Countess of Provence painted during these years.
Marie-Joséphine had a reserved and thoughtful temperament, and had difficulty tolerating the etiquette of Versailles, preferring the tranquillity of walks and pleasure residences. This sensitivity shines through here in the intimate, almost confidential atmosphere of the composition, far removed from official court representations.
The catalogue of the J. Pierpont Morgan collection described the object held by the princess as a miniature. However, it could more likely be a mirror, the traditional attribute of Prudence in allegorical iconography. This reading would give full meaning to the presence of the antique-style female figure and to the deliberately discreet, meditative tone of the scene, intended as a symbolic evocation of wisdom and restraint, qualities then readily associated with the Countess of Provence.
The finesse of its execution, the delicacy of its palette and the extreme psychological refinement of the model make this miniature one of Pierre-Adolphe Hall's most accomplished. Its prestigious provenance, from the collection of J. Pierpont Morgan to that of Dr Erika Pohl-Stroher, further enhances the exceptional character of this work, whose intimacy of tone remains unrivalled among known portraits of the French royal family.
See original version (French)
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