Lot Essay
Comparative Literature:
A. Storelli, Jean-Baptiste Nini, Sa Vie - son Oeuvre, 1717-1786, Tours, 1896, pp. 113, 135, 139, 151, 153
Nini's business acumen is proven by his extremely successful serial production over the years 1777-79 of nine different images of Ben Franklin -- some of the best - and best-known - of the many portraits of the great man that were produced in various materials (see C. Coleman Sellers, Benjamin Franklin in Portraiture, New Haven, London, 1962). Here the introduction of the fur cap and plain contemporary attire place him firmly in his period, as a realistic, far-sighted man of many parts. In another of the versions he wears spectacles, and in yet another, a Cap of Liberty, which again provide variations from the more classicizing bare-headed images.
The anonymous young man facing left within a wavy border can be identified as Louis-Nicolas Bernot de Mouchy, sous-aide major in the Guienne infantry regiment. An example in the Prince de Broglie collection of this uninscribed and undated medallion is inscribed on the back with the identity and states that he was sixteen years and seven months old at the time, in 1764 (Storelli, op.cit, p. 135, no. LXXXI).
For the anonymous ecclesiastic with curly hair wearing a skull-cap and facing left, (see Storelli, op.cit., p. 151, no. XCII). The anonymous young man facing right with a flowing bow on his queue within a wavy border can be idenfied as Jean-Michel Moreau, draftsman and engraver, known as 'Moreau Jeune', a highly competent draftsman and engraver born in Paris and trained under Lebas. His talent gained him the protection of Caylus and in 1770 he replaced Cochin as 'dessinateur et graveur du cabinet du roi', a prestigious court appointment. He engraved illustrations for the works of Voltaire, Rousseau and Molire (Storelli, op.cit., p. 153, no. XCIV). The anonymous plump young man facing right can be identified as Jean-Baptiste-Joseph de la Fosse (1721-1776). One example of this uninscribed and undated medallion of is inscribed on the back 'Lafosse'. This is the surname of a Parisian pupil of Fessard, who produced excellent portraits drawn from life, finely executed and recalling the drawings of Clouet (Storelli, op.cit., p. 139, no. LXXXIV).
A. Storelli, Jean-Baptiste Nini, Sa Vie - son Oeuvre, 1717-1786, Tours, 1896, pp. 113, 135, 139, 151, 153
Nini's business acumen is proven by his extremely successful serial production over the years 1777-79 of nine different images of Ben Franklin -- some of the best - and best-known - of the many portraits of the great man that were produced in various materials (see C. Coleman Sellers, Benjamin Franklin in Portraiture, New Haven, London, 1962). Here the introduction of the fur cap and plain contemporary attire place him firmly in his period, as a realistic, far-sighted man of many parts. In another of the versions he wears spectacles, and in yet another, a Cap of Liberty, which again provide variations from the more classicizing bare-headed images.
The anonymous young man facing left within a wavy border can be identified as Louis-Nicolas Bernot de Mouchy, sous-aide major in the Guienne infantry regiment. An example in the Prince de Broglie collection of this uninscribed and undated medallion is inscribed on the back with the identity and states that he was sixteen years and seven months old at the time, in 1764 (Storelli, op.cit, p. 135, no. LXXXI).
For the anonymous ecclesiastic with curly hair wearing a skull-cap and facing left, (see Storelli, op.cit., p. 151, no. XCII). The anonymous young man facing right with a flowing bow on his queue within a wavy border can be idenfied as Jean-Michel Moreau, draftsman and engraver, known as 'Moreau Jeune', a highly competent draftsman and engraver born in Paris and trained under Lebas. His talent gained him the protection of Caylus and in 1770 he replaced Cochin as 'dessinateur et graveur du cabinet du roi', a prestigious court appointment. He engraved illustrations for the works of Voltaire, Rousseau and Molire (Storelli, op.cit., p. 153, no. XCIV). The anonymous plump young man facing right can be identified as Jean-Baptiste-Joseph de la Fosse (1721-1776). One example of this uninscribed and undated medallion of is inscribed on the back 'Lafosse'. This is the surname of a Parisian pupil of Fessard, who produced excellent portraits drawn from life, finely executed and recalling the drawings of Clouet (Storelli, op.cit., p. 139, no. LXXXIV).