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251 - Louis-Michel van LOO (Toulon, 1707 – Paris, 1771) Portrait o…
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Estimate €4,000 - €6,000
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Description
Louis-Michel van LOO (Toulon, 1707 – Paris, 1771) Portrait of Jacques-Charles de Fitz-James, 5th Duke of Fitz-James (1743–1805) Oil on canvas, round panel Diameter: 68 cm Provenance: Collection of Edouard de Fitz-James (1776–1839), son of the sitter; Then passed down through the family to his son, Jacques de Fitz-James (1799–1846), and to his daughter; Charlotte-Marie de Fitz-James (1831–1905), wife of Etienne-Charles de Gontaut, Marquis de Biron; Collection of Pierre-Charles-Henri de Gontaut-Biron (1818–1871), Marquis of Saint Blancard, Paris and Geneva; Collection of Gilonne-Henriette-Marie d’Harcourt (1867–1952), wife of Alexandre-Auguste, Count Catoire de Boincourt; Passed down to her daughter Alexandra Wassiljewa Catoire de Bioncourt (1906–1956), wife of Gérard de Loriol, Château d’Allaman, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland; Private European collection Exhibitions: Probably the 1767 Salon, Paris, no. 5 (“The Portrait of M. le Chevalier de Fitz-James [the] brother [of the Princess of Chimay]”) At the 1767 Salon, Louis-Michel van Loo exhibited two matching portraits, those of a brother and his sister, Jacques-Charles de Fitz-James and Laure-Auguste de Fitz-James, Princess of Chimay, who had recently become a lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie Leszczynska. Children of Charles de Fitz-James, Peer and Marshal of France, they were the great-grandchildren of King James II of England. The presence of the portrait of the Princess of Chimay in the collections of the Palace of Versailles (fig. 1) has enabled the identification of the portrait we are presenting here. Both are circular in format—a rare choice for this period—with the subjects facing one another, and a sense of continuity suggested by the stone balustrade on which they are leaning. Whilst Diderot was rather critical of these two paintings, the portrait of the Chevalier de Fitz-James exudes great serenity and elegance. A Marshal and Peer of France, Jacques-Charles de Fitz-James was also the last governor of Limousin. Louis-Michel van LOO (Toulon, 1707 – Paris, 1771)
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About the sale Old Masters & 19th-century masters
Auction location
Auction time 09/15/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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