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Lot Essay
The sitter, Charlotte (1795-1875), daughter of Camille de Lantivy du Rest (b. 1760) and Adelaide Blanc du Bois (1767-1856), was the wife of Arthur, Comte de Bourgannaye (1785-1844), the eldest son of Charles, Comte de Bourdonnaye (1752-1829) and Louise de Chauvelin (1763-1788).
It is possible that her father-in-law may have been Charles Esprit de Bourdonnaye, who was notorious for provoking a revolt by the villagers of Avrolles following his appointment there as mayor in 1826. Charlotte and Arthur had a son, Roger de la Bourdonnaye (1817-1891), conseiller general of Morbihan, who married Antoinette de Lapasse (1827-1860), and a daughter Jeanne (1849-1935) who married Rene Harscouet de Saint George.
George Hayter entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1808 and by 1815 was appointed Painter of Miniatures and Portraits by Princess Charlotte, who had been taught drawing by Hayter's father, Charles, himself a portait miniature artist. Following a visit to Italy in 1816, Hayter returned to London and established himself as a portrait painter, mixing freely in aristocratic circles. In 1826 he returned to the continent, where he stayed in Rome, Florence and finally settled in Paris towards the end of 1828, painting elegant and highly finished portraits of restoration beauties. This portrait of Charlotte, Comtesse de la Bourdonnaye, is a fine example of his glamorous and colourful style at this time, the tactile and luxurious furnishings acting as a foil to her beauty, and it is comparable to the delightful portrait of Lady Stuart and her daughters painted in the same year (Government Art Collection).
He returned to London in 1831, where his opulent portraits continued to be highly sought after and his prowess secured his appointment as Queen Victoria's Portrait and Historical Painter. He was knighted in 1842.
It is possible that her father-in-law may have been Charles Esprit de Bourdonnaye, who was notorious for provoking a revolt by the villagers of Avrolles following his appointment there as mayor in 1826. Charlotte and Arthur had a son, Roger de la Bourdonnaye (1817-1891), conseiller general of Morbihan, who married Antoinette de Lapasse (1827-1860), and a daughter Jeanne (1849-1935) who married Rene Harscouet de Saint George.
George Hayter entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1808 and by 1815 was appointed Painter of Miniatures and Portraits by Princess Charlotte, who had been taught drawing by Hayter's father, Charles, himself a portait miniature artist. Following a visit to Italy in 1816, Hayter returned to London and established himself as a portrait painter, mixing freely in aristocratic circles. In 1826 he returned to the continent, where he stayed in Rome, Florence and finally settled in Paris towards the end of 1828, painting elegant and highly finished portraits of restoration beauties. This portrait of Charlotte, Comtesse de la Bourdonnaye, is a fine example of his glamorous and colourful style at this time, the tactile and luxurious furnishings acting as a foil to her beauty, and it is comparable to the delightful portrait of Lady Stuart and her daughters painted in the same year (Government Art Collection).
He returned to London in 1831, where his opulent portraits continued to be highly sought after and his prowess secured his appointment as Queen Victoria's Portrait and Historical Painter. He was knighted in 1842.