The Royal Seal of Marie Antoinette

Queen Marie Antoinette seal by Pierre-Joseph Lorthior (1733-1813). The seal depicts the queen seated on her throne receiving the coat of arms of France and Austria from the hands of an allegorical winged figure and cupid.

Signed: Lorthior in et sc (designed and engraved).

Inscription: Marie-Antoinette d'Autriche Reine de France 1774 (Marie Antoinette of Austria Queen of France 1774).

Date: original struck in 1781, this is probably a restrike made in the early 19th century (French Restoration), but nevertheless it's very rare.

Material: lead.

Diam. 4,7 inches.

Provenance: acquired at eBay.

Sceau de Marie Antoinette, en étain, par Pierre-Joseph Lorthior (1733-1813). Le sceau représente la Reine assise sur son trône recevant de la main d'un génie aidé d'un amour les écussons de France et d'Autriche.

Signé: Lorthior in et sc (a trouvé et a gravé).

Au pourtour l'inscription: Marie-Antoinette d'Autriche Reine de France 1774.

Époque: 1814-1830 (Restauration).

Diam. 12 cm.

Provenance: acheté sur eBay.

Portrait of the Dauphin Louis Ferdinand, 1770

Mezzotint portrait of Louis Ferdinand, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), only surviving son and heir of King Louis XV. He never reigned because he died before his father, but his three sons were successively Kings of France: Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X.

Engraver: Jacques-Fabien Gautier-Dagoty (1716-1785), French.

Artist (after): Alexandre Roslin (1718-1793), Swedish; the original painting hangs in the palace of Versailles.

Date: 1770.

Size: 10 x 8,3 inches (plate mark).

Provenance: Acquired at eBay.

The print was removed from the following book: Gautier-Dagoty, Jean-Baptiste-André. "Galerie françoise, ou Portraits des hommes et des femmes célèbres qui ont paru en France, par M. Gautier Dagoty le fils. On y a joint un abrégé de leur vie, puisé dans les meilleures sources." Paris, Hérissant le fils, 1770.

Gravure "à la manière noire" représentant le Dauphin Louis Ferdinand (1729–1765), fils unique de Louis XV et l’héritier de la couronne. Il meurt avant son père, mais laissa trois fils qui régnèrent sur la France: Louis XVI, Louis XVIII et Charles X.

Graveur: Jacques-Fabien Gautier-Dagoty (1716-1785).

Peintre (d'après): Alexandre Roslin (1718-1793); le tableau original est aujourd'hui exposé au Chatêau de Versailles.

Date: 1770.

Dimensions: 25,6 x 21 cm (sans les marges).

Provenance: Achetée sur eBay.

Ouvrage dont est tirée la gravure: Gautier-Dagoty, Jean-Baptiste-André. "Galerie françoise, ou Portraits des hommes et des femmes célèbres qui ont paru en France, par M. Gautier Dagoty le fils. On y a joint un abrégé de leur vie, puisé dans les meilleures sources." Paris, Hérissant le fils, 1770.

Terra Cotta Medallion of King Louis XVI, 1774

"Stop, stop accusing me: time, circumstances and a thousand causes, which would take a long time to explain, are responsible for the misfortunes of France. It's very cruel to reproach me for them."

Excerpt of a letter from Louis XVI, dated 7th September 1789.

A French terra cotta medallion, with profile bust of King Louis XVI of France. Around the edge is the following inscription: LUDOVICUS XVI REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS (with tiny fleurs-de-lis between the words).

Sculptor: Giovan Battista Nini (1717-1786), Italian.
Date: circa 1774.
Diam.: 4,7 inches.
Bibliography: Giovan Battista Nini (1717-1786) da Urbino alle rive della Loira. Paesaggi e volti europei [exhibition catalogue], a cura di A. Cerboni Baiardi e B. Sibille Milano; Federico Motta Editore, 2001. Pag 203, 206.

Médaillon en terre cuite représentant le buste de profil du Roi Louis XVI, avec l'inscription: LUDOVICUS XVI REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS.
Sculpteur: Jean-Baptiste Nini (1717-1786).
Date: circa 1774.
Diam.: 11,9 cm.
Bibliographie: Giovan Battista Nini (1717-1786) da Urbino alle rive della Loira. Paesaggi e volti europei [catalogue d’exposition], a cura di A. Cerboni Baiardi e B. Sibille Milano; Federico Motta Editore, 2001. Pag 203, 206.

Apotheosis of King Louis XV, 1760

MONARCH of the French your virtues and your glory,
Will shine forever in the Temple of memory.
Translation of the verse below the image.

Engraving depicting the apotheosis of King Louis XV of France. Several putti carry the portrait of the monarch to the temple of memory (in the background), seated on the right is the figure of Virtue, above the Glory announces the king's arrival and Chronos (father time) is sleeping down below.

Engraver: Louis-Simon Lempereur (1728-1807), French.

Artist: François Boucher (1703-1770), French.

Date: circa 1760.

Size: 11,5 x 8,3 inches.

Provenance: Acquired at eBay.

Bibliography: Portalis & Béraldi, Roger & Henri. Les Graveurs du dix-huitième siècle. New York, 1970. Vol II, Pag 655.

Composition allégorique à la gloire du Roi Louis XV. Gravure au burin.

Graveur: Louis-Simon Lempereur (1728-1807).

Peintre: François Boucher (1703-1770).

Date: circa 1760.

Dimensions: 29,2 x 21,1 cm.

Provenance: Achetée sur eBay.

Bibliographie: Portalis & Béraldi, Roger & Henri. Les Graveurs du dix-huitième siècle. New York, 1970. Vol II, Pag 655.

Medal of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, 1781

"Her nose was aquiline and, as such noses generally do, became more pronounced with age. Although increasingly elaborate hairdressing concealed the notorious forehead, there was nothing to be done about the Habsburg lower lip, other than ignore it, as the artists tried to do, concentrating on the Queen's short and pretty upper lip."
Fraser, Antonia. "Marie Antoinette". Weidenfeld & Fraser, London, 2001. Pag 111-112.

Bronze medal bearing the profile portraits of King Louis XVI of France, on the obverse, and of Queen Marie Antoinette, on the reverse. Of all the medals related to the Queen this one features the most accurate (non-idealized) portrait of her.

Medal engraver: Pierre Simon Benjamin Duvivier (1728-1819).

Date: 1781.

Diam. 72 mm.

Médaille en bronze de Louis XVI et Marie-Antoinette.

Avers: ludovicus XVI Franc[iae] et Nav[arrae] Rex. Buste du roi de profil à droite.

Revers: Mar. Anton. Austr. Franciae et Navarr. Regina. Buste de la reine de profil à gauche. Grav. Du Vivier 1781.

Graveur : Pierre Simon Benjamin Duvivier (1728-1819).

Date: 1781.

Diam. 72 mm.

Portrait of the Duke of Penthièvre, 1770

Oval portrait of Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon (1725-1793), duke of Penthièvre, shown in armor, wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece and the riband of the Order of Saint Esprit. The portrait is within a Louis XVI frame, decorated with the sitter's coat of arms, a cornucopia (symbol of abundance and prosperity), an anchor (the duke was Grand Admiral of France) and an allegorical figure touching the ducal crown and holding the Penthièvre banner. The engraving is dedicated to the duke of Chartres (later duke of Orléans, also known as "Philippe Égalité), who married Louise Marie Adélaide de Bourbon-Penthièvre, daughter of the duke of Penthièvre.

Engraver: Pierre-Adrien Le Beau (1744-1811), French.

Date: circa 1770.

Size: 7,8 x 5,6 inches (plate mark).

Place of publication: Paris, France.

Provenance: purchased from an internet print dealer.

Bibliography: Portalis & Béraldi, Roger & Henri. Les Graveurs du dix-huitième siècle. New York, 1970. Vol II, Pag 594.

Beau portrait en buste de Louis-Jean-Marie de Bourbon (1725-1793), duc de Penthièvre, en armure, avec le cordon de l'Ordre du Saint-Esprit et l'ordre de la Toison d'Or. La gravure est dédiée au duc de Chartres (puis duc d'Orléans connu sous le surnom de Philippe-Égalité après 1792).

Graveur: Pierre-Adrien le Beau (1744-1811).

Date: circa 1770.

Dimensions: 19,8 x 14,3 cm (format de la gravure sans les marges).

Provenance: Commerce électronique - Marchand d'estampes anciennes.

Bibliographie: Portalis & Béraldi, Roger & Henri. Les Graveurs du dix-huitième siècle. New York, 1970. Vol II, Pag 594.

A Wedgwood Portrait Medallion of King George III

A Wedgwood medallion of King George III of England (1738-1820) represented as a Roman emperor. Probably made to celebrate the king's recovery from his first serious illness in 1789.

Date: circa 1789.

Material: unglazed stoneware.

Dimensions: 2,5 x 1,9 inches.

Provenance: purchased at eBay.

Notes: A similar portrait of the head in profile appears on another more known Wedgwood medallion commemorating the same occasion (B), also on two medals of the time (A,C) and on a glass paste medallion from 1785, by Edward Burch (1730-1814).

Médaillon en faïence fine anglaise, de la Manufacture de Wedgwood, avec le buste en profil du Roi George III d'Angleterre (1738-1820) en empereur romain. Ce médaillon probablement commémore le rétablissement du Roi en 1789, après une maladie mentale.

Date: circa 1789.

Dimensions: 6,3 x 4,8 cm.

Provenance: acheté sur eBay.