"Revolutionary Portrait Of The Duke Of La Rochefoucauld By Pierre Narcisse Guerin"
Pierre-Narcisse Guérin (1774–1833)Portrait of the Duke of La RochefoucauldOil on canvas, 43 × 53 cm without frameGilt wood frame, 18th centuryPortrait attributed to Pierre-Narcisse Guérin, French neoclassical painter, member of the Institute and director of the Villa Medici in Rome. The work represents the Duke of La Rochefoucauld wearing a hat decorated with blue, white and red ostrich feathers, in reference to his rallying to revolutionary ideas. The tricolor plume on the hat echoes his moderate support for the Revolution and his role as mediator between the monarchical institution and reformist ideas. The model is probably François-Alexandre-Frédéric, Duke of La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt (1747–1827), a committed reformer during the Revolution, deputy in 1789 and promoter of vaccination in France. Canvas in good general condition, some cracks from use. Period frame in gilded wood, well preserved. Some restoration on the back