Portrait of Louis XV

c. 1725

PORTRAIT OF LOUIS XV (French, c. 1725) by Jean-Baptiste van Loo (French, 1684-1745) and his Atelier, one of numerous copies of the original Van Loo portrait executed in 1723 for the Direction des Batiments (Charles de Lorraine) in Paris. The original portrait, now lost, was copied for royal gifts. The painting depicts King Louis XV (1710-1774) at the age of 15. The canvas is housed in an elaborately carved giltwood and gesso Regency frame, with the Bourbon crown and coat-of-arms at the crest. Inscribed along the base of the frame is “Donne par Le Roy.” At least 13 versions of the portrait are recorded including those at the chateau de Versailles: Musée National de Versailles (Inv. No. MV6942 and MV2175); Musée d'Orleans; the Brossin de Mere collection; the Cahen d'Anvers collection at the chateau de Champs; the Musée Chéret, Nice; the Musée de Perpignan; the National Museum Stockholm; the Musée de Nancy; the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris and respective versions for the ruling houses of Turin, Dresden and Darmstadt.

French

Oil on canvas

Giltwood and gessoed frame

H: 9'10" W: 6' 3"

Gift of the Estate of Frederick H. Prince.

PSNC.251