Frans Pourbus the Elder (1545-1581), entourage of - Lot 7

Frans Pourbus the Elder (1545-1581), entourage of Portrait of a couple and their children, circa 1580 Oil on panel, pair. H_ 36 cm W_ 28 cm Coat of arms added later. Cracks, restorations, oxidized varnish. Interesting late XIXᵉ restorer's labels on verso. Provenance: - Pérusse des Cars family - Duc des Cars Presented as a diptych, this painting depicts the commissioner and his wife kneeling in landscapes. They are accompanied by their children. The red crosses above some of the children's heads indicate that they are deceased. Our painting may represent François de Pérusse des Cars, accompanied by his first wife, Claudine de Baufremont, who died prematurely, and his second wife, Isabeau de Beauville. The lord is wearing the grand collar of the Order of the Holy Spirit, created by Henri III in 1578, of which our model was one of the first recipients. This element, combined with his remarriage in 1579, allows us to date the painting after this date. We can also note that the coats of arms were added later, probably in the XIXᵉ century. It was indeed common practice to embellish old paintings with coats of arms or the names of the models in order to facilitate the reading of ancestor galleries. Expert : Cabinet ARTÉON