GERMAN SCHOOL, circa 1795/1800

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GERMAN SCHOOL, circa 1795/1800

The Countess of Adhémar seated on a red-upholstered chair, her left arm resting on an open book inscribed "TE DEUM", her upswept grey-powdered hair adorned with a white lace mob-cap tied with a lavender blue silk bow, wearing a black frill-bordered lace stole, a white fichu and a blue skirt; rectangular -- 63 x 71 mm; together with the Viscountess of Chollet, waist-length slightly to the right, wearing a large straw hat fixed under her chin with a knotted blue-striped white scarf, her white dress tied under her breast with a blue ribbon, a strawberry-coloured shawl draped around her arms; nocturnal landscape background; square -- 79 mm; both in gilt-metal mounts. (2)

Lot Essay

The rich widow Madame de Valbelle married an adventurer, Monsieur de Montfalcon, who adopted the prestigious name of Comte d'Adhémar. He was a friend of the Duchesse de Polignac and soon became one of Marie-Antoinette's intimes at Trianon. The Comtesse had the title of Dame du Palais of the Queen since 1768, and was the author of highly interesting Souvenirs sur Marie-Antoinette, archiduchesse d'Autriche, reine de France, et sur la cour de Versailles, only published in 1836.

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