French portrait painter who was the pupil and son-in-law of Nattier (who was good at painting pretty women, while Tocqué was happier with plain ones). He admired Rigaud and Largillierre and adapted their styles, and Nattier’s, to the requirements of his own time. He worked in Paris except for a trip to St Petersburg and Copenhagen (1756-59) and a second trip to Copenhagen in 1769.
Marie Leczinska (1703-1768) was born at Breslau on the 23rd of June 1703, being the daughter of Stanislas Leszczynski (who in 1704 became king of Poland) and of Catherine Opalinska. She was betrothed to Louis XV, a step which was the outcome of the jealousies of the houses of Conde and Orleans, and was everywhere regarded as a mesalliance for the French king. The marriage took place at Fontainebleau on the 5th of September 1725.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 3 minutes):
Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Marche en Rondeau
One of the most distinguished portraitists of his day, Tocqu� was invited to St. Petersburg to paint a gala portrait of the Russian empress. After a few sittings sin the palace, the artist produced a living image of Elizabeth, who is shown with the attributes of the monarchy: the orb and sceptre, as well as the badge and sash of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Dauphin Louis was the son of Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczynska. He was the father of Louis XVI and never succeeded to the throne.
This painting is a preparatory work for the large, full-length portrait (1739) which is now in the Louvre, Paris.
Nicolas de Lucker was born in 1695 in Nantes from a noble family of Irish origin.
The painting is signed and dated. The name of the sitter is probably Madame Mirey.
Once this painting was part of the collection of the painter Jean-L�on G�r�me.
