(Geneva 1702–1789)
(Brussels circa 1710/17–1791)
Portrait of Empress Maria Theresia, Queen of Bohemia and Hungary (1717–1780); and
Portrait of Emperor Franz I Stephan, Duke of Lorraine (1708–1765),
pastels on vellum, each 67 x 55 cm, framed, a pair (2)

Provenance:
Collection of Leopold Philippe, Duc d’ Arenberg (1690-1754), Brussels, probably received as Imperial gift;
by descent to his son Charles Marie Raymond, Duc d’ Arenberg (1721-1778), Brussels and mentioned in the Arenberg Archives under a payment to court painter Frédéric Dumesnil for restoration: ‘Repeint deux portraits de Leurs Majestés impérials, en pastel, qui étaient tout gâtés, 7 ½ jours, le 9 may 1752, 24 fl. 9s., 9d.’ (see E. Laloire in literature);
by descent in the Arenberg family to Engelbert Charles, Duc d’ Arenberg (1899–1974) and Mathilde d’ Arenberg, née Callay (1913–1989), Monaco;
by whom left to the late brother of the present owner

Literature:
E. Laloire, Seigneurie d’ Enghien. Documents & Notices concernant l’histoire de la seigneurie d’ Enghien, Enghien 1914/22, p. 172;
N. Jeffares, Dictionary of Pastellists before 1800, Frédéric Dumesnil, online version, updated 30 May 2022, p. 1;
N. Jeffares, Dictionary of Pastellists before 1800, Jean-Étienne Liotard – Part III: Named sitters F–L, online version, updated 18 September 2023, p. 2, no. J.49.1488 (as replica, presumed autograph);
N. Jeffares, Dictionary of Pastellists before 1800, Jean-Étienne Liotard – Part IV: Named sitters M–R, online version, updated 5 September 2023, p. 4, no. J.49.2001 (as replica, presumed autograph)

We are grateful to Neill Jeffares for his assistance in cataloguing this lot on the basis of photographs.

Having remained in the family of their first owner Leopold Philippe Duc d’ Arenberg, Brussels, the present pair of pastels have only recently come to light and were hitherto unknown. They are likely to have been an Imperial gift to the Duc for his loyal service to the Habsburg court as commander in chief of the Austrian Netherlands and for his merits in the War of the Austrian Succession. After the death of Leopold Philippe in 1754, the pastels passed on to his son Charles Marie Raymond Duc d’ Arenberg, who too served as commander to the Austrian empire. In 1758 Charles lead the successful battle against Frederik the Great of Prussia and was subsequently granted the Grand Cross and the Order of Maria Theresia. Obviously, Charles had the pastels restored by the Arenberg court painter Frédéric Dumesnil, as payment for such work is recorded in the records of the Arenberg family on the 9 May 1752.

The pastels are among numerous portraits of the sitters at half lengths produced by Jean Etienne Liotard during his first visit to Vienna in 1743/45 and to be distributed among allies and other strategical contacts within the Empire. In his autobiography is recorded how upon this first visit Liotard portrayed Empress Maria Theresia and her husband, her mother Empress Elisabeth, her sister and her husband Prince Charles of Lorraine and the Archduchess.

The composition of the portrait of the Empress is based on the pastel of 1743/44, now in Ebenthal, Austria, of which the pendant is lost, but which is recorded in the engravings by J.C. Reinsperger (see M. Roethlisberger et.al., Liotard: Catalogue, Source et Correspondance, Doornspijk 2008, cat. nos. 108, figs. 158/161; and cat.nos. 109/110, figs. 159/160). The Empress is here portrayed wearing a blue velvet dress with lace collar and broderie in yellow on the front, an ermine lined cape and a diadem. Several other versions are known, among which is a version conserved in the Museum Mayer van den Bergh, Antwerp (inv. no. MMB.0175). The portrait of Franz Stephan follows the model such as seen in the pastel of 1745, now in the Schlossmuseum, Weimar, (inv. no. G66). The Emperor is here represented in full armour, wearing the Order of the Golden Fleece, and a wig, the Imperial crown by his side. And here too the present portrait is known in other versions (see the list in Roethlisberger, op.cit., p.311).

Jean Etienne Liotard’s activity in Vienna is well documented in his autobiography. He arrived in the city from Turkey in September 1743 and was immediately received at court the next day to meet with the Grand Duke, and not much later, with the Empress herself. Liotard’s success was that he introduced a standard model of portrait at half-length with the sitter in three-quarter to the right, without hands. This model could be varied according to the purpose. In the present pair for instance, Maria Theresia is shown in regal robes but without crown, while Franz Stephan is shown in full armour and with the Imperial crown.

Based on their fine quality and their records in the Arenberg books, Neill Jeffares, judging from high resolution photographs, considers the present pastels as originals by Liotard, albeit restored by the Arenberg court painter Frédéric Dumesnil in 1752. Dumesnil is now a forgotten artist. However his activity for the Dukes d’ Arenberg is well documented in the records and consisted of Views of Enghien, the family estate, as much as portraits and history scenes. He also acted as agent purchasing works of art (see E. Laloire, op.cit., 1914/22, pp. 172–177).