Pierre Lenfant (Anet 1704-1787 Paris)

The present paintings represent two important battles of the War of Austrian Succession. Louis XV sits astride his horse in the lower right corner of the first scene, gesturing with an outstretched arm toward the battlefield to direct the attention of the Dauphin, who sits directly behind the king. In the mid-ground, the ailing Marshal de Saxe advances in his coach, leading the French army against the faltering English-Hanoverian infantry. In the mid-ground of the second composition, King Louis XV once again surveys his troops on horseback, here dressed in a red coat. The flag of a French regiment appears in the far left, while in the distance, the Duke of Cumberland's troops are defeated.