The Dauphin And The Dauphine Of France - Pair Of Portraits - Workshop Of Roslin Circa 1770

French School of the 18th century, pair of portraits representing the Dauphin Louis of France and the Dauphine Marie Josephe of Saxony. Oils on canvas in their original carved and gilded oak frame. Attributed to Roslin's workshop, circa 1770. We know of several portraits of the Dauphin by Roslin dated 1765, a pastel at the Palace of Versailles where the Prince is presented in the same configuration and another where he is represented in the uniform of Colonel General dragons. As for the Dauphine, several hypotheses are put forward on the author of the original work: Maurice Quentin de la Tour, Jean Marc Nattier, Jean Martial Frédou or even Roslin. What is certain, however, is that our two portraits were made together and by the same hand. The quality of their realization, the similarity with other works of Roslin in comparison with other "softer" copies and finally their prestigious origin suggests that our portraits could come out of the workshop of Roslin, in the 1770s. royal portraits depict a couple of future monarchs who never reigned. The Dauphin Louis de France (1729-1765) was the son of King Louis XV and was the father of 3 Kings of France: Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X. He was a very pious, chaste, sober and faithful man. his wife, concerned about the good education of his children. Thus, his sons, in particular the Duke of Burgundy, being too full of their birth, he made them show the register of their baptism. Emphasizing that the act mentioning them is the same as those of children of less privileged classes, the Dauphin teaches his sons: “We are all equal before God in birth and in death. Only our actions differ from one another. You will one day be greater than these children in the esteem of the people; but they themselves will be greater before God if they are more virtuous. He died of Tuberculosis in 1765 before he could reign. His wife, who had watched over him during his illness, contracted his disease and followed him two years later to the grave. Marie Josephe de Saxe (1731-1767) is the second wife of the Dauphin. Renowned for her intelligence, gentleness and righteousness, she forms with her husband a couple whose beginnings were difficult but which became one of the most harmonious in the history of France. Through the intrigues of the court, the Dauphine managed to make herself loved by all, so intelligent, gentle and loving was she. Alexander Roslin or Alexandre Roslin, (1718 - 1793) in Paris, is a Swedish painter, portraitist of the European aristocracy of the mid-eighteenth century. From the years 1750-1793, he painted mainly in Paris. We know of him the two portraits of the Dauphin in 1765, from which ours is taken. Provenance: large Lorraine collection, in the same family since at least 1820. On the back a label indicates that these portraits come from the prestigious and rich abbey of Remiremont in the Vosges. It was probably this institution that commissioned this pair of portraits from Roslin's studio in the 1770s. Our portraits were featured in the "Voltaire and the Kings" exhibition organized at the end of 2021 by the Center des Monuments Nationaux at the Chateau de Voltaire in Fernay Voltaire with the support of Franck Ferrand. Very good condition, paintings cleaned on their original canvas. Original frame in carved and gilded wood from the Louis XVI period, cleaned by our gilder. frame dimensions 78.5x69cm frame dimensions 60x51cm