Lot Essay
Jacques-Antoine-Hippolyte, Comte de Guibert (1743-1790) began his career at a young age as a professional soldier and military writer, travelling alongside his father Charles Benoit, chief of staff to the Mar/aechal de Broglie, throughout Germany during the Seven Years War. In 1770, he published the first of a series of celebrated military tracts, his Essai général de tactique, a work which appeared in numerous editions and languages including English and German. Frederick the Great, quite impressed with the young colonel, took an interest in Guibert and is known to have freely discussed military theories and tactics with him.
Guibert's Journal d'un voyage en Allemagne en 1773 and his Défense du système de guerre moderne are based on these dialogues as well as his observations of the Prussian regimental drills and army maneuvers. The texts achieved wide acclaim. George Washington, general of America's fledgling revolutionary army, regarded the writer highly. "The works of Colonel Guibert are the companions of my glory."
Guibert was also a member of the Academy and, in his leisure, wrote a number a short stories and plays, including the tragedies Le Connetable de Bourbon (1775) and Anne de Boleyn (1777). A handsome man, Guibert was involved in liasons with several of the most extraordinary woman of his day. His relationship with Julie de Lespinasse is immortalized in their love letters which form one of the most celebrated series of romantic correspondance of all time. Madame His, lady-in-waiting to Marie-Antoinette, was so taken with the dashing young count that she left her portrait bust which Houdon had exhibited in the Salon of 1775 not to her sole surviving daughter, but to her cherished Guibert. His friendship with Madame de Staël is also attested to by the eulogy she delivered at his funeral.
Dissatisfied with what he saw as the excesses and inefficiencies of the French army, in 1775 Guibert began an association with the Comte de St. Germain which resulted in a series of much-needed reforms of the military. The success of the collaboration was short-lived, however, as St. Germain's fall from favor portended a similar disgrace for Guibert. In 1778, Guibert was promoted to the rank of maréchal de camp and reassigned to a staff position in a provincial regiment. In the wake of mounting revolutionary sentiment, he was recalled to Paris, but died shortly after from ailments caused by the stress of being demoted.
Houdon was commissioned by Guibert's widow to make the present marble as well as a terracotta and four plasters, and received two thousand eight hundred livres (payment on 2 November 1791). The artist portrayed his subject not as a soldier, tactician or aristocrat but as a philosophe, a man of action and ideas. This romantic image not only reflects the political moment but also points to Houdon's admiration of the Comte. Houdon's reputation as the pre-eminent portrait sculptor of his time is confirmed by the technical quality and psychological realism evident in this brilliant portrayal of Jacques-Antoine-Hippolyte, Comte de Guibert.
Guibert's Journal d'un voyage en Allemagne en 1773 and his Défense du système de guerre moderne are based on these dialogues as well as his observations of the Prussian regimental drills and army maneuvers. The texts achieved wide acclaim. George Washington, general of America's fledgling revolutionary army, regarded the writer highly. "The works of Colonel Guibert are the companions of my glory."
Guibert was also a member of the Academy and, in his leisure, wrote a number a short stories and plays, including the tragedies Le Connetable de Bourbon (1775) and Anne de Boleyn (1777). A handsome man, Guibert was involved in liasons with several of the most extraordinary woman of his day. His relationship with Julie de Lespinasse is immortalized in their love letters which form one of the most celebrated series of romantic correspondance of all time. Madame His, lady-in-waiting to Marie-Antoinette, was so taken with the dashing young count that she left her portrait bust which Houdon had exhibited in the Salon of 1775 not to her sole surviving daughter, but to her cherished Guibert. His friendship with Madame de Staël is also attested to by the eulogy she delivered at his funeral.
Dissatisfied with what he saw as the excesses and inefficiencies of the French army, in 1775 Guibert began an association with the Comte de St. Germain which resulted in a series of much-needed reforms of the military. The success of the collaboration was short-lived, however, as St. Germain's fall from favor portended a similar disgrace for Guibert. In 1778, Guibert was promoted to the rank of maréchal de camp and reassigned to a staff position in a provincial regiment. In the wake of mounting revolutionary sentiment, he was recalled to Paris, but died shortly after from ailments caused by the stress of being demoted.
Houdon was commissioned by Guibert's widow to make the present marble as well as a terracotta and four plasters, and received two thousand eight hundred livres (payment on 2 November 1791). The artist portrayed his subject not as a soldier, tactician or aristocrat but as a philosophe, a man of action and ideas. This romantic image not only reflects the political moment but also points to Houdon's admiration of the Comte. Houdon's reputation as the pre-eminent portrait sculptor of his time is confirmed by the technical quality and psychological realism evident in this brilliant portrayal of Jacques-Antoine-Hippolyte, Comte de Guibert.