Attributed to Jean-Jacques Caffieri (Paris 1725-1792)

Nicolas Fabri de Peiresc (1580-1637) was a French astronomer and member of the Parlement in Provence. He was also a great friend of Rubens and the two corresponded weekly for years discussing their own collecting habits and other non-art related topics, such as politics and new inventions. Pierre Gassendi (1592-1655), also from Provence, was a scientist, priest, philosopher and mathematician. He wrote a biography of Peiresc.