Portrait Of Emmanuel Ménage De Pressigny, Farmer General, 1734-1794…

Oval portrait of an important Farmer General of the Kingdom, 2nd son of the Farmer General of Nantes Alexis Ménage de Pressigny.
Emmanuel Ménage de Pressigny was born in 1734 in Nantes and died in Paris in 1794 under the terror. Like many Farmers General he acquired a large fortune which he transformed into real estate before the Revolution; this patrimonial management led him, during the sale of the national goods resulting from the revolutionary confiscations, to acquire some of them.
This important character, endowed with a high financial function linked to the collection of taxes and duties, was considered during his existence as beneficent, then respectful of the new ideas of the nascent Republic, being generous with the defenders of the fatherland and the humble in this difficult time for many.
Because of his high office spent in the finance department, he did not escape the new regime, was suspected, like all the Farmers General of the kingdom, of possible enrichment, without cause concerning him and, without proof, of tampering with the quality of tobacco by making it wet.
A number of political pretexts under the terror of Robespierre made it possible to declare suspects and criminals these ci-decant high personages in order to seize their goods and their persons.
Portrait in very good condition on its original canvas.
Posterior style frame.
Dimensions:
Total height: 67 cm - Width: 55.5 cm
The canvas alone:
Height: 60.5 cm.
Width: 49cm.