Old Masters, British & European Paintings - 12 Sep 2017
λ William Bate (c.1759-c.1845) Portrait miniature of Ninon de L'Enclos (1620-1705)
λ William Bate (c.1759-c.1845)
Portrait miniature of Ninon de L'Enclos (1620-1705), head and shoulders, in a blue dress
Inscribed on the reverse of the enamel, set into the lid of a tortoiseshell and gold rectangular box
42 x 35mm; the box 80 x 60mm
Provenance:
Lawrence Gould Antiques 12/11/08
Ninon de L'Enclos, author and courtesan, was revered as a freethinker and although always of independent means she mixed in the highest circles in Parisian life. This miniature seems to be based on the portrait etching of her by Antoine-Jean-Baptiste Coupé