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Lot Essay
This portrait shows King Louis XIV of France, wearing a blue coat with fleur-de-lys and a large white bow. He wears the characteristic 'Binette' wig of the period and the sash of the Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint-Esprit. His head is nimbed, as it suits for royal figures in the Mughal and Rajput painting traditions.
The portrait is directly inspired by paintings of the King by Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743). His most famous painting, the full length portrait of Louis XIV dated to 1701 is now in the Louvre (inv. 7492). From the early Mughal period onwards, the diffusion of European prints greatly influenced Indian artists. The figure of Louis XIV must have been known through prints of Rigaud's works in India. We can imagine that this portrait was commissioned for a local patron - a French expatriate or a ruling prince.
The portrait is directly inspired by paintings of the King by Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743). His most famous painting, the full length portrait of Louis XIV dated to 1701 is now in the Louvre (inv. 7492). From the early Mughal period onwards, the diffusion of European prints greatly influenced Indian artists. The figure of Louis XIV must have been known through prints of Rigaud's works in India. We can imagine that this portrait was commissioned for a local patron - a French expatriate or a ruling prince.