Pierre Mignard (Troyes 1612 – Parigi 1695)

Portrait of Louise Renée de Penancoët de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth and Aubigny (Brest 1649 - Paris 1734) as MAGDALENE Attributed to Pierre Mignard, known as Le Romain (Troyes 1612 – Paris 1695) Oil on canvas (97 x 88 cm - in important gilded frame 132 x 122 cm) Provenance: Private collection, Naples Complete details of the present work are available directly from the following - LINK - The young and beautiful noblewoman depicted in this painting is Louis Renée de Penancoet de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth and Aubigny (Brest 1649 - Paris 1734), known for being the favorite mistress of King Charles II for over fifteen years, from whose relationship Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond was born, but above all for going down in history as one of Louis XIV's French informants at the English court. The Duchess was a very influential figure at court, promoting French interests and often acting as an intermediary between the king, his ministers and French ambassadors. After the death of Charles II, this influence quickly ended, forcing her to hastily leave London and renounce all her possessions to return to her homeland, between Aubigny-sur-Nère and Paris, where she died in 1734, always remaining in the sovereign's good graces. The peculiarity of the portrait, probably executed after her return to her homeland, is that the noblewoman takes on the appearance of a fascinating Mary Magdalene, represented here following her renunciation of earthly goods, her rich clothes and her jewels, to aspire to heavenly riches; we see her immortalized with her long hair loose on one breast, her intriguing but serene gaze directed at the observer, while she rests her hands crossed, as if in prayer, on the ampoule of perfumed ointments and on the open book, both iconographic symbols. The custom of being portrayed in the guise of Magdalene was in vogue for women of power in the great European courts since the sixteenth century, as it represented the most appropriate image to be able to justify the union of power and female virtue. It must be said that court culture only exalted the positive characteristics of her personality, overlooking or downplaying all references to her sinful past and her dissolute life. The work, which in terms of style fits perfectly into 17th-century French portraiture, suggests the pertinent attribution to the Baroque painter Pierre Mignard (Troyes, 1612 - Paris, 1695), whose works were highly praised and earned him a great reputation as a portrait painter for the demanding Parisian aristocracy at the time of Louis XIV, and who portrayed the Duchess de Kérouaille on numerous occasions. His first important artistic training took place in the studio of Simon Vouet, before moving to Italy for over twenty years before returning to Paris, combining his own with the influence of Roman classicism. The elegant fluidity of touch and the sensual refinement typical of Mignard, combined with a very accurate chiaroscuro rendering, inherited from his artistic training in Rome (which looks to the examples of Ferdinand Voet), and the exceptional sweetness of the drawing, the floridity of the complexion and the almost enameled surfaces, and finally, the peculiar pose of the figure portrayed (the beauty of the two intertwined hands is unmistakable), further support our attribution. The conditions of the painting are excellent. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The painting is completed by a pleasant gilded frame. The work is sold with a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic sheet. We take care of and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. Please contact us for any information, we will be happy to answer you. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Follow us also on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/