Miniature portrait of sophie philippine élisabeth de france (versailles, july 27, 1734 - versailles, march 2, 1782), better known under the name of madame sophie. She is the sixth daughter and the eighth of ten children of louis xv and marie leszczyńska. (whose miniature portraits are also offered on our site). Our miniature, of exceptional quality of execution, is painted on vellum. It is contemporary with the portrait that jean-marc nattier made of the princess in 1748. The work repeats the portrait but enlarges its composition in order to make it rectangular and horizontal and to be able to be mounted on the lid of a rich snuff box, offered by the royal family. The snuffbox, a precious diplomatic gift, often made of gold and diamonds, has disappeared (probably dismantled and sold). The miniature was remounted in the 19th century in a custom-made crowned gilt bronze frame. This practice of dismantling the snuff boxes offered by the royal family was unfortunately common, sometimes even as soon as the present had been received, the jewelers sometimes saw a snuff box coming back to them that they had just delivered to the "menus plaisirs du roi". Date: 18th century, after a work of 1748. Dimensions: height: 6.5 cm (2.5 in); width: 4.5 cm (1.7 in). Medium: glass, watercolor and gouache on vellum. Collection: Unidentified location. French School - Portrait en miniature de Madame Sophie de France
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