Terracotta Bust of King Louis XV after Lemoyne

Presenting a regal yet approachable portrait of France’s Louis XV, this terracotta bust is modeled after Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne’s sculpture of the king executed in 1757, which now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This version is executed in meticulous detail, with the king donning his cuirass decorated with the cross of the Holy Ghost and a draper tied under his tie. His head is turned slightly, giving the portrait a more casual, realistic feel, yet there is no mistaking his position of power in this confident portrayal.

Louis XV, also called “Louis the Beloved,” ruled as King of France from September 1, 1715 until his death in 1774, succeeding his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until the young Louis XV reached his thirteenth birthday, the kingdom was ruled by Philippe II, duc d’Orléans, as Regent of France. In his maturity, guided by his mistress Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV became a avid patron of architecture and fine art, and Lemoyne was his portrait sculptor of choice.

Circa 1900

14" wide x 11" deep x 15" high