Louis XV Young, In Armor - After The Official Portrait Of The King By Jean-baptiste Van Loo

Louis XV jeune, en cuirasse
after an official portrait by Jean-Baptiste van Loo (1684-1745), circa 1740
Oil on canvas, 18th century (old framing)
Louis XV style frame
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82 x 66 cm [stretcher]
105 x 90 cm [frame]
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Very good condition.
Formerly lined.
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Jean-Baptiste van Loo painted a first portrait of the young sovereign around 1725, which was very popular and immediately entered the monarch's collections (Versailles INV 6257). A variant was produced around 1740 by the painter and his studio (Louvre DL 2020 4); like the first, this variant was copied many times in order to fulfil commissions from the administration and courtiers. While copies of the portrait in majesty were reserved for the most prestigious clients, a reduction of the bust portrait was also offered, as is the case for our painting. The Louvre has in its collections a portrait very similar to ours, with identical framing and dimensions (Louvre INV 9371). On the Louvre copy, as on ours, the copyists did not reproduce the drapery, but the red reflection on the cuirass remains!