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1 of 253523 objects
Louise de Lorraine c.1587-1590
Engraving | 16.3 x 10.6 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 616612
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An engraving of Louise of Lorraine, Queen of France. Half length portrait with curled hair, jewelled hair pins, pearl earrings, closed ruff, gown,and jewelled bodice. Within an oval border bearing French inscription, with further French verses below. Cut down. This print is lettered around the portrait: "LOVISE DE LORRAINE."; along the bottom: "Ceste belle Princesse en ce monde fut faitte ... / Desrobe a tous le coeur aussi bien que les yeux."; at the lower centre: "Tho. de leu fe. FQuesnel" .
This is one of ten prints, distributed throughout Cassiano's 'Kings of France' album, with the same format though with slightly different frames and lettering (see RCINs 616560-616484-616632-616586-618290-615758-615538-670035-615750). Andrée Jouan has suggested that they are part of a suite of 12 portraits executed in 1587–8. None of the prints are dated; three of the prints fall beyond this range, suggesting that de Leu continued to produce portraits using this format beyond the initial group.The print formed part of an album of French royal portrait prints assembled by Cassiano dal Pozzo in Rome and described in an early nineteenth-century inventory of prints in George III's library as Kings of France, Queens and other illustrious Personages. The album was arranged chronologically, with kings and their consorts together, while the latter part of the album was devoted to the female aristocracy of France. It was dismantled later in the nineteenth century and its prints incorporated into the series of Engraved Royal Portraits (organised dynastically).
For more information see Mark McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. I: Ceremonies, Costumes, Portraits and Genre, 3 vols, Royal Collection Trust 2017, part of The Paper Museum of Cassiano dal Pozzo: A Catalogue Raisonné, cat. no. 1316.
Provenance
From the collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo (1588-22 October 1657); inherited by his brother, Carlo Antonio dal Pozzo (1606-1689); sold by Carlo Antonio's grandson to Clement XI, 1703; acquired by Cardinal Alessandro Albani by 1714, from whom purchased by George III in 1762
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Creator(s)
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Medium and techniques
Engraving
Measurements
16.3 x 10.6 cm (sheet of paper)
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