Equestrian Portrait of Mme de Saint-Baslemont

This impressive equestrian portrait glorifies the spirit of resistance of Alberte-Barbe d’Ernecourt (1606-1660), wife of Jean-Jacques de Haraucourt, lord of Saint-Baslemont. The couple lived in the castle of Neuville-en-Verdunois until the departure of Haraucourt for the war, alongside the Duke of Lorraine, Charles IV, in 1632.

After the extension of the Thirty Years War to the whole of Europe, Madame de Saint-Baslemont trains the inhabitants of the surrounding villages in combat and opposes the attempts of looting and exaction carried out by the armies and bands of mercenaries crossing the Neuville area. Pursuits of cattle thieves, release of hostages, rescue operations for soldiers in danger, this are the among the episodes the painter represents in the form of sketches, in the background of his painting.