On 16th June 2025 the Palace of Versailles exercised its right of pre-emption to acquire a pastel portrait of the Count of Provence, by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, dated 1776.
A round-up from 18th-century and Revolutionary France
On 16th June 2025 the Palace of Versailles exercised its right of pre-emption to acquire a pastel portrait of the Count of Provence, by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, dated 1776.
4th July 2025: This year it is particularly well to remember the joint legacy of "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" which unites France and the US!
The V & A has now issued the Press Release for the Marie Antoinette Style exhibition which opens in September.
A Leiden University PhD thesis by Dirk Alkemade traces the career of Dutch patriot Pieter Vreede (1750-1837). [news article, 11.06.2025].
The death has been announced of David Bindman, Emeritus Professor of the History of Art at University College London. Among many achievements Professor Bindman is remembered as curator of the British Museum's groundbreaking 1989 exhibition on British representations of the French Revolution.
No real surprises there! But one suspects he has got away quite lightly....
After nine years of investigation, the verdict in the infamous fake chairs trial is to be delivered on Wednesday! In the meantime, here is a good summary article in English from the BBC News website.
The most poignant of the lots on offer at the Osenat sale "Royalty atVersailles", held on 18th May was this striking portrait of Louis-Charles of France in the prison of the Temple attributed to Marie-Antoinette. Annotated by the Empress Eugénie, "Drawn by his Unfortunate mother". Sold for €10,498.
The Osenat sale "Royalty at Versailles" held on 18th May included several important items of Marie-Antoinette memorabilia, including her missel and a lock of her hair, which was sold to an anonymous buyer for € 9,660.
Also among the lots of the recent Osenat sale "Royalty at Versailles", held 18th May 20 2025, was this cute presumed portrait of 'Pompon', Marie-Antoinette's beloved dog by Jacques Barthélemy Delamarre. (Sold for €9,274.)
On 22nd May a sabre which belonged to Napoleon was sold by Giquello in Paris for the huge sum of €4.6 million of €700,000–€1 million.