拍品專文
Marie d'Albert de Luynes (1744-1781) was the daughter of the Duc de Chevreuse and grand-daughter of the Duc de Luynes. She married in 1758, at the age of 14, her cousin, Marie Joseph Louis d'Albert d'Ailly, the Vidame d'Amiens who later became the Duc de Picquigny and in 1769 Duc de Chaulmes. Her husband left for Egypt the day after the wedding and stayed there for several years. On his return he refused to see his wife and consummate the marriage. He was convinced that he would be thrown in jail by his family as soon as he had an heir. Despite his eccentricities, the Duc de Chaulmes was a great scientist; an archeologist as well as a physicist, carrying out experiments with electricity and even proving the existence of carbon gas in 1775. In 1773 he was arrested and thrown into jail in Vincennes for fighting publicly with Beaumarchais.
His wife, condemned to eternal virginity, only dressed in white. Mme. de Genlis was hard on her: 'she was pretty but she lacked wit and naturalness. She has thousands of ridiculous pretentions. There was some pompousness in her demeanour, her manners, her tone and in all her speeches. However she was very well behaved'. The statue of Diana in the temple behind is evidently a subtle reference to her virginity. She wears a 'pete-en-l'air' and a petticoat and apron with a laced trimmed cap
His wife, condemned to eternal virginity, only dressed in white. Mme. de Genlis was hard on her: 'she was pretty but she lacked wit and naturalness. She has thousands of ridiculous pretentions. There was some pompousness in her demeanour, her manners, her tone and in all her speeches. However she was very well behaved'. The statue of Diana in the temple behind is evidently a subtle reference to her virginity. She wears a 'pete-en-l'air' and a petticoat and apron with a laced trimmed cap