Portrait Of Louis XVII

We would like to thank Mr Joseph Baillio, a leading expert on Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, art historian and curator of the exhibition ‘Elisabeth Louise Vigée Lebrun’ (Grand Palais, 23 September 2015 to 11 January 2016), for providing us with valuable information about this painting, which he will include in his catalogue raisonné devoted to the artist's work, in the section ‘Related works’.

Here we present one of the most famous portraits of Louis XVII. It is the only known representation today of the work of Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1755-1842) depicting the future Louis XVII with his dog Moufflet, which disappeared during the Revolution. Indeed, exhibited at the Salon of 1789, then found at the Château de Saint Cloud in Madame Elisabeth's bedroom, Vigée-Lebrun's work was burned in 1794 at the request and in the presence of the commissioners of the Committee of Public Safety. Fortunately, our painting escaped the iconoclastic spasms that caused all images of one or more members of the ‘Capet family’

The Duke of Normandy, Future Louis XVII ... Future Louis XVII, Louis-Charles of France (Versailles, 27 March 1785 – Paris, 8 June 1795), second son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Duke of Normandy, Dauphin of France from 1789, then Prince Royal from 1791 to 1792 "A contemporary described the new Dauphin as follows: He was a little over four years old. He was slim, slender and graceful in his gait. His forehead was broad and uncovered, his eyebrows arched, his large blue eyes fringed with long brown lashes, and his complexion, dazzlingly white, was tinged with the freshest pink. His hair, ash blond, curled naturally and fell to his shoulders. Her noble and gentle features reflected something of the dignity of Marie Antoinette and the kindness of Louis XVI. All her movements were full of grace and vivacity. She was tender towards those who loved her, attentive to those who spoke to her, and polite to everyone. These excellent qualities were tempered, however, by a singular liveliness and impatience. He found it difficult to bear the yoke of the women in his service and fought with all the strength of his age against the established rules for his rising and retiring times. His rebelliousness ceased at the sight of his mother.‘ Madeleine Louise de S; ’L'enfant LOUIS XVII et son mystère" (The child LOUIS XVII and his mystery); Beauchesne et ses fils Paris, rue de Rennes, 117; 1957

And his dog Moufflet The origin "The Dauphin Louis Joseph died in Meudon on Thursday, 4 June 1789, at the opening of the Estates General, the first act of the storm that would sweep away the throne of the Kings of France. The whole country mourned this child, who possessed the rarest qualities of heart and mind. The death of his elder brother shifted the attention and hopes of France to the Duke of Normandy, who had until then been unknown to the public. A newspaper of the time reports that on that same day, 4 June, M. de la Villedeuil, Secretary of State in the King's Household, acting on orders received from His Majesty, announced in the presence of the Duchess of Polignac, governess to the children of France, to His Grace the Duke of Normandy, that the King had just proclaimed him Dauphin. Louis-Charles was four years old. His new dignity did not seem to impress him much. He was more interested in the immediate gift of a pretty dog that had belonged to his brother and answered to the name of Moufflet. Until then, the child had had a morbid fear of dogs: the slightest bark made him shiver; Moufflet's kindness and gentleness won him over.‘ Madeleine Louise de S; ’L'enfant LOUIS XVII et son mystère" (The child LOUIS XVII and his mystery); Beauchesne et ses fils Paris, rue de Rennes, 117; 1957

An anecdote: "When the children of princes commit minor offences, they are not punished directly. The Dauphin had been out walking for a long time, and it was time for his studies. His tutor told him to come back inside. Instead of obeying, he asked a page what time it was. Grabbing the watch, he immediately threw it into a basin filled with water, then began to laugh at his own mischief and the poor page's embarrassment, repeating several times: 'Oh, I assure you, my dear Darmincourt, it's drinking deeply now.

Back at the castle, the weak mentor, instead of punishing his pupil, foolishly gave Moufflet penance in his place. Moufflet was a cute little dog that had belonged to the late Dauphin, his brother. Moufflet, greatly surprised by this treatment, began to growl and scratch at the door in an annoying manner. There was talk of whipping Moufflet. What nonsense! observed the young prince in the righteousness of his heart, it was not Moufflet who did the wrong; nor was it Moufflet who should be punished. Having said this, the Dauphin begged that his dog be released, and it was done immediately. Having then taken Moufflet's place in detention, he remained there for two long hours of his own free will. Wanting to make amends for the damage he had caused by throwing the watch into the water, he gave the young page his own watch, which was more beautiful and more valuable, so that the page now had two watches, as he had already retrieved the one he had lost.‘ M. Regnault de Warin; ’L'Ange des Prisons (Louis XVII)"; In Paris; at L'Huillier, Bookseller-Publisher, Rue Serpente, No. 16; Delaunay, Bookseller, at the Palais-Royal; Pillet, Printer-Bookseller, Rue Christine, No. 6; 1817

The end To the boy's great despair, which caused him much grief and anxiety, Moufflet disappeared in the turmoil of the storming of the Tuileries on 10 August 1792. After his father's death in 1793, and following the dynastic order, the Duke of Normandy was recognised as the heir to the French crown under the name Louis XVII by the coalition powers and by his uncle, the future Louis XVIII. He died in the Temple prison in 1795, at the age of ten, without ever having actually reigned.