Gérard de Lairesse

Seemingly unrecorded in the literature, this grand, monogrammed painting by Gérard de Lairesse constitutes an important addition to the artist's œuvre. In its composition, facial types and the rendering of flesh, this work compares closely with Lairesse's Allegorical portrait of Duchess Marie of Cleves, dated 1671, in the Musée de Picardie, Amiens;¹ the Allegory of the five senses, dated 1668, at the Glasgow Art Gallery;² and the Nymphs and Bacchantes paying homage at the temple of Flora, datable around 1666–70, which appeared for sale last year.³ The concordant dating of these three pictures provides an approximate date of execution for the present canvas.

¹ Inv. no. P. 23; oil on canvas, 169 x 182 cm.; https://rkd.nl/images/1600.

² Inv. no. 3635; oil on canvas, 137.2 x 182.9 cm.; Glasgow Museums Collections Online.

³ Oil on canvas, 142.9 x 191.7 cm.; https://rkd.nl/images/202595.