Lot Essay
Louis Franois Petit Radel (1740-1818) trained as an architect under Charles de Wailly (1729-1798), an influencial member of the Acadmie de l'Architecture in Paris. He was a gifted draughtsman and engraver and was involved with numerous official 'concours' in Paris, as well as with the restoration of the church of St. Mdard and the building of the abattoir at Roule. In 1799 he was appointed Inspecteur Gnral des monuments civils and while holding this office published a project for restoring the Panthon which had been closed for a number of years due to neglect.
Following an early acquaintance with Pierre-Hubert Subleyras, Duplessis travelled to Paris in 1752. His activities there remain unclear until his inclusion of a portrait of Madame Lenoir in the Salon of the Acadmie de Saint Luc in 1764, now in the Muse du Louvre, Paris. In 1769 Duplessis was elected to the Acadmie royale, becoming a full member in 1774 and gaining favor with the court for whom he worked extensively over the next decade. His patrons included the King, the Comte de Provence and the poet Michel-Paul Guillaume de Chabanon.
The present work can be compared to Duplessis' 1785 portrait of de Chabanon which he exhibited in the Salon of the same year.
Duplessis fell into disfavor during the Revolution and abandoned painting. He left Paris and did not return until 1796 when he assumed the position of Curator at the Muse de Versailles. He remained there until his death six years later.
Following an early acquaintance with Pierre-Hubert Subleyras, Duplessis travelled to Paris in 1752. His activities there remain unclear until his inclusion of a portrait of Madame Lenoir in the Salon of the Acadmie de Saint Luc in 1764, now in the Muse du Louvre, Paris. In 1769 Duplessis was elected to the Acadmie royale, becoming a full member in 1774 and gaining favor with the court for whom he worked extensively over the next decade. His patrons included the King, the Comte de Provence and the poet Michel-Paul Guillaume de Chabanon.
The present work can be compared to Duplessis' 1785 portrait of de Chabanon which he exhibited in the Salon of the same year.
Duplessis fell into disfavor during the Revolution and abandoned painting. He left Paris and did not return until 1796 when he assumed the position of Curator at the Muse de Versailles. He remained there until his death six years later.