18th Century French School, Portrait Of Princess Marie Victoire Of Savoy - Carignan Hst

18th century French School, portrait of Princess Marie Victoire of Savoy, Princess of Carignan and Marquise of Suse. Oil on canvas from the first half of the 18th century (around 1740), in an oval oak frame carved and gilded with gold leaf, from the Louis XIV period.

Marie Victoire de Savoie (1690-1766) is a legitimized daughter of Victor-Amédée II de Savoie, first king of the house of Savoy. She married the Prince of Carignan in 1714 and the couple emigrated to France in 1718. Under the Regency, their house, the Hotel de Soissons, held a scandalous reputation. Then she led a career as an intriguer with the Duke of Bourbon, (successor of the Regent as Prime Minister of Louis XV), until the Duke's disgrace and the majority of Louis XV with his marriage.
The princess is represented in mourning dress (so after 1740). We know another version of this portrait by van Loo, of which our piece is a beautiful 18th century copy. Interestingly on our version, the Savoy silver crosses on the purple background have been replaced by gilded fleur-de-lys for France. The Princess wears a cloak with ermine lapels, an attribute of her rank, and a book in her hand emphasizing her erudition. Beautiful portrait of a historical character of very fine quality.

Dimensions: 93,5x79cm with the frame
73x59,5cm for the canvas.