Portrait Of Louis XV At The Age Of 10, Workshop Of Pierre Gobert (1662-1744), 18th Century

Portrait of King Louis XV as a child at the age of 10.
Workshop of Pierre Gobert (1662-1744).
18th century French School, circa 1720.

Oil on canvas: h. 82 cm, w. 62 cm.
Period 18th-century gilt and carved wood frame with floral corners.
Framed dimensions: h. 105 cm, w. 82.5 cm.

In a palatial decor open to the outside, the young monarch stands, seen from mid-thigh up, near a giltwood console table upon which sits the royal crown. Dressed in court attire, wearing an embroidered doublet with brocade-lined sleeves and a white lace cravat, he wears the blue ribbon of the Order of the Holy Spirit across his shoulder, while the white dove of the order is pinned to his waistcoat. His  heavily powdered, curled hair frames her still-childlike face with its rosy, full cheeks, illuminated by his hazel eyes with their gentle yet trusting gaze. His right hand rests solemnly on the royal crown, which is prominently displayed in the foreground, while her heavy royal ermine mantle, lined with blue velvet embroidered with fleurs-de-lis, is draped over her left shoulder, held in the crook of his bent arm, his hand resting on his hip.

Our painting is a reduced, half-length variant of a full-length portrait of the young king, the original of which, painted by Pierre Gobert (likely lost or destroyed), was engraved by Jean Audran. This portrait of the young Louis XV in court dress, holding the instruments of coronation, enjoyed considerable success, leading to numerous copies being made by Gobert's workshop (see related works).
This composition, featuring the young monarch in court dress, is more touching and intimate than his portrait in coronation robes painted by Rigaud. It allows us to better discern the art and style of Pierre Gobert, a great court portraitist who worked for Louis XIV, the Regent, and later Louis XV. He was one of the few painters of his time to create true portraits of children. His sensitivity was noted by the Duchess of Lorraine, the Regent's sister and mother of 14 children, who commissioned numerous portraits of her offspring from him.

Related works:
• Full-length portrait of Louis XV by Pierre Gobert, oil on canvas, 144 cm x 110.5 cm, Fundación Yannick i Ben Jakober, Majorca, Spain; Sa Bassa Blanca Museum
• Full-length portrait of Louis XV by Pierre Gobert, National Museum in Warsaw, oil on canvas, 44 x 32 cm
• Half-length portrait, workshop of Pierre Gobert, Aguttes auction, 29/05/2018, lot no. 48, oil on canvas, 93.5 cm x 73.5 cm
• Full-length portrait, Musée Saint Loup, Troyes, oil on canvas, 162 x 111 cm, circa 1720