AFTER JEAN-BAPTISTE PIGALLE, PROBABLY 19TH CENTURY

Details

A WHITE MARBLE BUST OF MADEMOISELLE D'HARCOURT
AFTER JEAN-BAPTISTE PIGALLE, PROBABLY 19TH CENTURY
Scantily draped as Diana and head turned to dexter, on a waisted circular socle, inscribed 'MADEMOISELLE D'HARCOURT, FAIT PAR J.B.PIGALLE - 1754-.'
26 in. (66 cm.) high

Provenance

By repute Etienne-Alexandre-Jacques Anisson-Duperon, Director of the French Royal Printing Office.
By repute Alexandre-Jacques-Laurent Anisson-Duperon, château de Saint Aubin de Crétot, Pair de France and also Director of the French Royal Printing Office.
Anonymous sale, Sotheby's, New York, 25 November 1986, lot 106.

Lot Essay

This bust probably depicts Louise-Angélique d'Harcourt, daughter of the 4th duc d'Harcourt, Maréchal and Pair de France. His family had close connections to the sculptor that lasted over a period of many years. Harcourt's sister-in-law commissioned Pigalle in 1770 to build the celebrated funerary monument in honor of her husband, Henri-Claude, comte d'Harcourt for the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. The present sitter's brothers Anne-François, duc de Beuvron and François-Henri, duc d'Harcourt were both portrayed as comedians by Fragonard, a fact which may explain at least in part the actress's pose and attire of the present sitter.

A copy of the present bust in terracotta is now at Versailles.

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