Pair of Royal Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Burgundy

Follower of Pierre Gobert
18th century | French

The Duke and Duchess of Burgundy

Oil on canvas

Refinement and intricacy characterize these royal portraits of France’s Louis, Duke of Burgundy and Marie Adélaïde of Savoy, Duchess of Burgundy. They are fashioned in the style of Pierre Gobert, who was the favored portraitist of King Louis XIV’s court, and a particular favorite of Marie Adélaïde, who sat for Gobert on more than one occasion. The pair are rendered with the utmost accuracy and opulence, draped in furs, fine textiles and jewels. These portraits indicate the couple’s importance in the history of France, not only as members of King Louis XIV’s court, but as the mother and father of the future King Louis XV.

Louis, Duke of Burgundy, was the eldest grandson of Louis XIV, and Marie Adélaïde was the eldest daughter of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy. The two married in December of 1697, when Louis was 15 years old and Marie only 12. These young portraits of the couple almost certainly depict them around the time of their marriage. Their match was a strategic one, connecting France and the Duchy of Savoy, which lay between France and Italy. Louis XIV was by all accounts very fond of the cheerful Marie Adélaïde, who eventually gave birth to three sons, the youngest of which was Louis XV.

Pierre Gobert was born in Fontainebleau to the sculptor Jean Gobert. He studied as a painter at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and he became the preferred portraitist for the ladies of King Louis XIV’s court, including Marie Adélaïde. Demand was high for images of royalty in the 18th century, and other painters of the day imitated Gobert’s refined style for portraits such as the present pair.

18th century

Canvases: 34 1/2" high x 29 1/2" wide
Frames: 50 1/4" high x 37" wide