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RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PAIR OF BUSTES probably representing He…
See original version (French)
209
-
RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PAIR OF BUSTES probably representing He…
See original version (French)
Estimate €18,000 - €20,000
Voluntary lot
Description
RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PAIR OF BUSTES probably representing Henri-Jules de Bourbon-Condé (1643-1709) and Anne-Henriette of Bavaria (1648-1723)
Terracotta
Last quarter of the 17th century, Louis XIV period
H: 74 cm and H: 70 cm
W : 50 cm
Provenance :
Private collection
These two terracotta busts, made in the last quarter of the 17th century, are very much part of the artistic production revolving around the court of Louis XIV. They most likely represent Henri-Jules de Bourbon-Condé and his wife Anne-Henriette de Bavière, important figures in the French aristocracy.
Identification is based in particular on comparison with painted portraits attributed to Pierre Mignard and Juste d'Egmont, held at the Château de Versailles. The male bust, showing a man with long curly hair wearing the collar of the Order of the Holy Spirit, corresponds well with the known iconography of the Prince of Condé. The female bust, on the other hand, displays the elegance and refinement typical of court portraits, with a rich décolleté adorned with lace and fleurdelisé motifs.
The treatment of the faces, the supple modelling of the flesh and the finesse of the details, particularly in the drapery and lace, bring these works closer to the style of French sculpture under the reign of the Sun King. The choice of terracotta, a relatively rare material for princely portraits, suggests that these may have been preparatory models intended for translation into marble.
In this context, an attribution to the entourage of Antoine Coysevox seems conceivable. A major court sculptor, Coysevox and his workshop produced numerous official busts. Without formal proof, these works could be linked to his artistic sphere, both in terms of the quality of their execution and their place in the Versailles aesthetic of the late 17th century. We know that Coysevox was in contact with the House of Condé and worked on their artistic commissions, notably at Chantilly, which reinforces the plausibility of a connection.
Henri-Jules de Bourbon-Condé (1643-1709) was the only son of the Grand Condé, one of the greatest military leaders of the 17th century, and Claire-Clémence de Maillé. A cousin of Louis XIV, he first bore the title of Duc d'Enghien before becoming Prince de Condé in 1686. Inducted into the Order of the Holy Spirit in 1661, he pursued a military career and held an important position at court. However, his contemporaries described his personality as unstable and sometimes violent, in contrast to the prestige of his lineage.
Anne-Henriette of Bavaria (1648-1723), wife of Henri-Jules, was the daughter of Edward of the Palatinate and Anne of Gonzaga. Born into high European nobility, she married the Duc d'Enghien in 1663 and became Princess of Condé in 1686. Known for her piety and dignity, she held an important position at the French court and maintained the prestige of the House of Condé, despite the difficulties associated with her husband's character.
See original version (French)
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Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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