Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert

The work was commissioned as a portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert and was created in 1666 by Claude Lefèbvre. It entered the collection of the Museum of the History of France at the Palace of Versailles shortly after its completion, and remains part of that institution's holdings. The painting was executed in oil on canvas, measuring 138 cm in height and 113 cm in width, and depicts Colbert wearing embroidered attire, lace, an overcoat, and holding a sphere.

Its creation is documented in archival records from the French royal court and was later formally accessioned by the French state as part of the national collections.

The portrait is held in the collection of the Museum of the History of France, located within the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. It is cataloged under the inventory reference number 000PE005379 in the Joconde database, which aggregates the collections of French museums. The work remains part of the national holdings managed by the Réunion des musées nationaux.

No specific exhibition history or loan records for this painting are provided in the available sources.

Claude Lefèbvre painted Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1666, a work now housed in the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, where it entered the collection following Colbert’s historical association with Louis XIV’s court. The painting, depicting Colbert in a richly detailed coat adorned with lace and embroidery, reflects the prominence of the minister within the French administration and his role as a patron of the arts, situating it within the broader context of 17th-century portraiture that emphasized status and political influence. Its inclusion in the Joconde inventory underscores its recognition as part of France’s national heritage, linking Colbert’s legacy to the cultural institutions that preserve such works.

Claude Lefèbvre's 1666 Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, painted shortly after Colbert's death, quickly entered the royal collection of the Palace of Versailles, where it remained on display in the Hall of Mirrors. The work influenced 18th-century portraiture through its dignified portrayal of Colbert's authority and his symbolic attributes, such as the sphere representing economic oversight. By the late 19th century, the painting was widely reproduced in publications on French economic history, cementing Colbert's image as the archetype of the minister-statesman.

Today it is recognized as a key example of French Baroque portraiture and a visual testament to Colbert's enduring legacy in institutional memory.

This oil painting, created by Claude Lefèbvre in 1666, is a portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. It is part of the Palace of Versailles collection.