Live Auction 5962Centuries of Style: Silver, European Ceramics, Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes
JEAN-URBAIN GUERIN (FRENCH, 1760-1836)
Lot 322

JEAN-URBAIN GUERIN (FRENCH, 1760-1836)

Closed28 November 2012

Price Realised

GBP 12,500

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JEAN-URBAIN GUERIN (FRENCH, 1760-1836)
A General called François Christophe de Kellermann (1735-1820), 1st Duke of Valmy and Marshal of France, in black coat embroidered with gold oak leaves, red collar, brass buttons, white waistcoat, stock and cravat
signed 'Guerin.' (mid-left)
on ivory
oval, 3 1/8 in. (80 mm.) high, gilt-metal frame with split-pearl surround, the glazed reverse set with locks of hair and gold wire on opalescent white glass on foil ground centred with circular blue glass plaque inscribed in seed-pearls 'L'amitie'

Sotheby's, Geneva, 7 May 1982, lot 327 (as a portrait of Kellermann).

Specialist note

Based on the apparent age of the sitter and date of execution of the work, the traditional identification of the sitter as François Christophe de Kellermann, who would have been in his 60s at the time of the sitting, is questionable. The sitter bears more of a physical resemblance to General Jean-Baptiste Kléber (1753-1800), who would have been in his 40s (see P. Jean-Richard, Miniatures sur ivoire. Musée du Louvre. Musée d'Orsay, Paris, 1994, no. 261, illustrated p. 159 for the famous portrait by Guérin).