King Louis XVI, French School, Circa 1780

A portrait miniature on card of Louis XVI, husband of Marie Antoinette, wearing a red coat with gold lace, a gold waistcoat, white cravat, and a powdered wig. The painting is set in a pendant frame with a gold-ball surround and chased rim, the reverse with a mother-of-pearl back painted with the dates and motif for the king. Louis XVI (1754-1793), King of France and of Navarre (1774-1791), King of the French (1781-1792), is the only King of France ever to have been executed.

Although Louis XVI was beloved at first, his indecisiveness and conservatism led to him being regarded as a symbol of the perceived tyranny of the Ancien Régime. Louis was officially arrested on the 13th August 1792, and sent to the Temple. On the 21st September, the National Assembly declared France to be a Republic and abolished the Monarchy. Louis was stripped of all of his titles and honours, and from this date on was simply known as, 'Citroyen Louis Capet' after Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capetian dynasty.

On the 21st January 1793, Louis delivered a short and dignified speech upon the scaffold at Place de la Révolution before being cut short by a drum roll. His beheading by guillotine swiftly followed.

Dimensions: 1 ½ x 1 ¼ inches.

Officer in Hussar Uniform, Signed by Jean Pierre Henri Elouis, Circa 1800

A rare South American portrait miniature of an officer with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a red Spanish Hussar regimental jacket with silver frogging and a white cravat, against a sky background. The painting is signed at the lower right: Elouis, and is set in a gold pendant frame with a solid reverse.

Jean Pierre Henri Elouis (1755-1840), was born in Caen, France, but had an international career, and is most strongly identified as an American miniaturist. He studied with Robert Lefevre before moving to London, where he attended the Royal Academy Schools. He exhibited miniatures at the Royal Academy from 1785 to 1787, when he then moved to America. There he practiced in Baltimore, Annapolis, Alexandria, and Philadelphia, where he opened a drawing school, and painted miniatures of President and Mrs. Washington. By 1799 he had left Philadelphia and traveled through Mexico and South America as a draftsman on the German scientist Baron Alexander von Humboldt's expedition, where this portrait is presumed to have been painted. Elouis moved to France in 1807, and there exhibited at the Salon de Paris. Examples of his work may be seen at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Cincinnati Art Museum. No other examples from his trip through South America are presently known.

Dimensions: 3 ¼ x 2 ¾ inches.

Gentleman With Curly Hair, Signed by Andre Leon Larue, Called Mansion, Dated 1818

A handsome French portrait miniature of a young gentleman with curly brown hair and green eyes, wearing a black coat, white vest, white shirt, and black cravat, against a brown background. The painting is signed at the right: Mansion/ 1818, and is set in the original gilt pendant frame, the reverse with a lock of brown hair set on black silk.

Andre Leon Larue (1785-after 1834) called Mansion, a highly talented painter, was a student of Isabey, and exhibited both at the Salon de Paris and the Royal Academy. Among Mansion's sitters were the Empress Marie Louise, Disraeli, and the Count Eszterhazy.

Dimensions: 3 x 2 3/8 inches.

Edward John Lake, Signed by Louis Theodore Herman, Dated 1836

A stunning French portrait miniature of Edward John Lake, with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a black coat, black waistcoat, white chemise and black cravat. The painting is set in a gilt pendant frame with a pearl surround, the reverse with glazed blue silk. The portrait is signed and dated at the lower right: "Herman/1836," and purportedly inscribed on the backing paper: "Major Lake/aged 13/no 154."

Edward John Lake was the son of Edward Lake, a Major in the Madras engineers. He was a lieutenant in Delhi 1844, severely wounded at the battle of Moodkee in 1845, made Captain and Brevet-Major for services in Punjab campaigns in 1843, returned to England in 1860, made Lieutenant-Colonel in 1861 and Colonel in 1870. He married the youngest daughter of T. Bowes in 1861, and retired with the honorary rank of Major-General.

Louis Theodore Herman[n] (1803-1895) was born in Brussels, the son of Ignace Louis Hermann, with whom he studied.

Exhibited: Kredietbank Gallery, Brussels, Autissier et le Portrait Miniature Romantique en Belgique, 1998, no. 96.

Literature: Exhibition catalogue for the above, page 178, illustrated page 120.

Dimensions: 3 x 2 3/8 inches.