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Portrait of Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska

Francois de Troy

Basic information

ID: Ж-3410
Author: Francois de Troy
Name: Portrait of Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska
Date of creation: c.1690
Technique: oil painting
Material: canvas oil
Dimensions (height x width, cm): 81 x 64.5

Additionally

Type: painting
Genre: portraiture
Plot: Portrait
Provenance: Lviv Historical Museum
Exposition: Potocki Palace

Information about author

Author: Francois de Troy
Artist's lifetime: 1645–1730
Country: France
Biography: Francois de Troy (1645–1730) was a French portraitist and engraver, the father of the artist Jean-Francois de Troy (1679–1752). He was born into the family of Nicolas de Troy, a painter from Toulouse who worked in the Languedoc region. His elder brother, Jean de Troy, was also an artist known for his historical paintings and founded the Academy of Arts in Montpellier. Francois learnt the basic skills of painting from his father and then entered the studio of the local artist Antoine Durand. At twenty-four, the painter went to Paris, where he continued studying with portraitists Claude Lefebvre and Nicolas-Pierre Loir. During his early years in the capital, Francois befriended the painter, engraver, critic, and diplomat Roger de Piles, who introduced him to Dutch and Flemish painting. In 1671, de Troy became a candidate for the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and in 1674, he was accepted as a historical painter. After the death of his teacher Lefebvre in 1675, de Troy devoted himself to the portrait genre, hoping to work with his late master's former clients. In 1679, the artist received his first prestigious commission for a portrait of the Swedish ambassador, Niels Bilke. A year later, he painted a portrait of Anne-Marie of Bavaria, fiancée of Dauphin Louis, the heir to the French throne. Following the success of these portraits, de Troy consistently worked in court circles. Commissioners appreciated his talent to emphasise their manners, social status, and fashionable attire.

Object description

Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska was a Polish princess from the House of Sobieski, the daughter of King Jan III of Poland and the French noblewoman Marie Casimire. She was married to Maximilian II, Elector of Bavaria. In the portrait, the princess is depicted as a very young woman. She is slightly turned to the right, wearing a low-cut dress and holding a wedding wreath. Her luxurious attire emphasises her noble lineage. The realistically portrayed facial features are complemented by the blush on her cheeks, following the fashion of the time, which adds a natural touch to the image. The portrait exudes grandeur, representativeness, and the realism characteristic of Franсois de Troy.

Portrayed person