Lot Essay
This and the preceding lot, together with five further paintings (which were sold in these Rooms 10 December 1993, lots 43-53) already existed as a group in 1928 when in the possession of Baron Alfred de Jacquier de Rosée. In that year five of the children's portraits were exhibited as members of the d'Ormesson family in the Largillière exhibition, Palais des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris [Petit Palais]. The complete series of eight portraits represents the head of the family, his wife and seven children; each picture bears an inscription and date on the relining canvas probably copied from the artist's own inscription.
The tradition which incorrectly identifies the sitters as members of the d'Ormesson family may arise from a confusion over the identity of the mother of the children; she was Marie-Marguerite Lefèvre who may formerly have been assumed to be a member of the Lefèvre d'Ormesson family. In reality she married Yves-Joseph Pommyer. They are known to have had seven children: François, Yves-Joseph-Charles, Merry, Marie-Thérèse, Yves-Simon, Marie-Élisabeth (see following lot) and François Emmanuel, all of whom are depicted in the series together with their mother and father.
Yves-Joseph Pommyer, from the valley of the Loire, was baptised at Château-du-Loire (Sarthe) on 30 October 1665, son of François Pommyer, Conseiler en l'élection of Château-du-Loire, and of Julienne Boussicaud. His godparents present at this occcasion were Jude Aubert, Receveur général au Grenier à Sel, and Marie Guillot, widow of Jacques Massu, formerly Procureur royal. His grandfather had been Comissaire des Guerres, and his great-grandfather was Lieutenant général de la Juridication royale of Château-du-Loire. He was related through his father to some of the most powerful political figures of the seventeenth century including Daniel-François Voysin de la Noiraye (1654-1717), Chancelier de France and Premier Avocat général au Parlement, Chrétien-François de Lamoignon, son of Président Guillaume de Lamoignon, son of Président Guillaume de Lamoignon, the Bignon family, Dongois, chief clerk of the Parlement, Bornigales, Maître de Comptes, Président Boulanger and Nicoläy, Premier Président des Comptes.
At an unspecified date Yves-Joseph Pommyer, already Président Trésorier de France au Bureau des Finances d'Alençon, married Marie-Marguerite Lefevre, and the couple lived in Paris. On 3 March 1719 he succeeded Guillaume de Jassaud in the position of Secrétaire du Roi. The witnesses present at his assumption of office included Louis Mettra, doctor in theology and Curate of the parish of Saint-Merry, Jean-François Tousard, Auditeur des Comptes, and François Lefebvre d'Argencé, Secrétaire du Roi. Yves-Joseph Pommyer ceded his post to his son Yves-Simon on 24 August 1739.
The present pictures are to be included in Dr. Dominique Brême's forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the work of Nicolas de Largillière.
The tradition which incorrectly identifies the sitters as members of the d'Ormesson family may arise from a confusion over the identity of the mother of the children; she was Marie-Marguerite Lefèvre who may formerly have been assumed to be a member of the Lefèvre d'Ormesson family. In reality she married Yves-Joseph Pommyer. They are known to have had seven children: François, Yves-Joseph-Charles, Merry, Marie-Thérèse, Yves-Simon, Marie-Élisabeth (see following lot) and François Emmanuel, all of whom are depicted in the series together with their mother and father.
Yves-Joseph Pommyer, from the valley of the Loire, was baptised at Château-du-Loire (Sarthe) on 30 October 1665, son of François Pommyer, Conseiler en l'élection of Château-du-Loire, and of Julienne Boussicaud. His godparents present at this occcasion were Jude Aubert, Receveur général au Grenier à Sel, and Marie Guillot, widow of Jacques Massu, formerly Procureur royal. His grandfather had been Comissaire des Guerres, and his great-grandfather was Lieutenant général de la Juridication royale of Château-du-Loire. He was related through his father to some of the most powerful political figures of the seventeenth century including Daniel-François Voysin de la Noiraye (1654-1717), Chancelier de France and Premier Avocat général au Parlement, Chrétien-François de Lamoignon, son of Président Guillaume de Lamoignon, son of Président Guillaume de Lamoignon, the Bignon family, Dongois, chief clerk of the Parlement, Bornigales, Maître de Comptes, Président Boulanger and Nicoläy, Premier Président des Comptes.
At an unspecified date Yves-Joseph Pommyer, already Président Trésorier de France au Bureau des Finances d'Alençon, married Marie-Marguerite Lefevre, and the couple lived in Paris. On 3 March 1719 he succeeded Guillaume de Jassaud in the position of Secrétaire du Roi. The witnesses present at his assumption of office included Louis Mettra, doctor in theology and Curate of the parish of Saint-Merry, Jean-François Tousard, Auditeur des Comptes, and François Lefebvre d'Argencé, Secrétaire du Roi. Yves-Joseph Pommyer ceded his post to his son Yves-Simon on 24 August 1739.
The present pictures are to be included in Dr. Dominique Brême's forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the work of Nicolas de Largillière.