Artwork
Portrait of Louis XVIII
Portrait of Louis XVIII is a watercolor painting by the Neoclassicist artist Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin. It dates from 1822 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Jean‑Baptiste Jacques Augustin painted the likeness of Louis XVIII in 1822, using delicate washes of watercolor pigment applied to the polished ivory surface.
The work is a portrait miniature executed in watercolor on a thin ivory support, a technique typical of early nineteenth‑century French portraiture. Jean‑Baptiste Jacques Augustin painted the likeness of Louis XVIII in 1822, using delicate washes of watercolor pigment applied to the polished ivory surface. The support measures 3.9 cm in height by 3.3 cm in width, reflecting the small scale of miniature portraits intended for personal display.
Augustin’s handling emphasizes fine linear detail and a restrained palette, producing a crisp, almost translucent rendering of the sitter’s features. The piece belongs to the Cleveland Museum of Art collection and was created in France.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of Louis XVIII was created in 1822 by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin, working in France. Executed in watercolor on ivory, the miniature was produced during the later years of Louis XVIII's reign, which ended with his death in 1824.
The work is now held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is recorded under the accession number 1942.1134. No information on an earlier ownership chain, commissioner, or intermediate provenance prior to the museum's acquisition has been provided in the available sources.
Overview
This artwork, created by Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin in 1822, depicts Louis XVIII. Executed as a painting on ivory, it is part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art. This piece exemplifies the artist's refined approach to portraiture during the Bourbon Restoration, offering a detailed representation of the French monarch.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a likeness of Louis XVIII, who reigned as King of France from 1814 to 1824, with a brief interruption. Such portraits served to commemorate the monarch and project an image of royal authority during the Bourbon Restoration period. These intimate depictions were often exchanged among dignitaries or kept as personal mementos.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin
Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin (1759–1832) was a French artist, born in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges.
Portrait of Louis XVIII
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