An exquisite portrait miniature of Marie Antoinette (1755–1793), Queen of France and wife of King Louis XVI, executed in watercolour and pencil and mounted in the lid of a circular box made of light-coloured natural material. The work depicts the Queen in a half-length portrait, with her face turned slightly to one side and her gaze directed forward. Her facial features are delicate, her expression restrained and serene, and her light-coloured hair is arranged in a high and elaborate hairstyle, characteristic of French court fashion in the late 18th century. The hairstyle is adorned with feathers in blue-green tones and a decorative central ornament, reflecting the elaborate style of clothing and hairstyles customary among French aristocratic women during the reign of Louis XVI. The Queen wears a delicate necklace and is dressed in a gown with a wide neckline, decorated along its edges with dark fabric and soft folds. The clothing and jewellery emphasise the courtly character of the portrait and the royal status of the sitter. The portrait was executed with delicate painting and drawing techniques, combining fine pencil lines with layers of watercolour in restrained tones. The use of shades of brown, grey, and blue-green gives the work a soft and harmonious appearance. The miniature is mounted in the lid of the box and protected by transparent glass, allowing the details of the hairstyle, clothing, and facial features to be observed. The Box and Construction of the Work The box is circular and shallow, made of light-coloured natural material, with smooth and rounded sides. The lid is decorated with a circular miniature of the Queen, mounted within an inner frame and protected by glass. Decorative boxes of this kind were used during the 18th and 19th centuries to store small personal objects and were sometimes adorned with portraits of royalty, historical figures, or loved ones. The combination of Marie Antoinette's portrait and the decorative box gives the object historical and collecting interest, both as a functional item and as a keepsake of royal character. The Connection to a Portrait by Joseph Boze and the Bonhams Sale According to the original description, the present portrait resembles another miniature of Marie Antoinette, sold at Bonhams auction house in London on Tuesday, 19 March 1996, as Lot 28. That miniature was attributed to the French painter Joseph Boze (1745–1826) and depicted Marie Antoinette wearing a lilac-coloured robe embroidered with golden fleurs-de-lys, the symbol of the French monarchy. Beneath the robe, the Queen wore a low-cut white dress with gold decorations and a ribbon tied at the chest. Her powdered hair was adorned with feathers, in accordance with French court fashion in the late 18th century. On the reverse of the miniature sold at Bonhams appeared the name Roslin, most likely referring to the painter Alexander Roslin (1718–1793). However, the auction description stated that there was no evidence supporting this attribution. It was further noted that two other miniatures previously attributed to Roslin and held in a museum collection in Stockholm were later believed to be works by another artist. The comparison with the portrait sold at Bonhams adds scholarly interest to the present work, particularly because of the similarities in the hairstyle, feather decorations, and the manner in which the Queen is depicted. About the Artist – Joseph Boze (1745–1826) Joseph Boze was a French portrait painter active during the second half of the 18th century and the early 19th century, known for his portraits of members of the aristocracy, high society, and prominent figures at the French royal court. Boze was born in 1745 in the town of Martigues in southern France and developed a career as a portrait painter, whose works were characterised by refined treatment of facial features, accurate depiction of clothing, and the use of soft and harmonious colours. During his career, he enjoyed the patronage of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette and was among the artists active in royal court circles in the years preceding the French Revolution. He painted portraits of the royal couple and also held the title of battle painter (*Peintre de batailles*). His works reflect the French portrait painting tradition of the late 18th century, in which a refined idealisation of the sitter was combined with careful attention to facial features, clothing, and indications of social status. Historical Background – Marie Antoinette and the Art of Royal Portraiture Marie Antoinette was born in Vienna in 1755, the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I. In 1770, she married the French heir to the throne, the future King Louis XVI, and in 1774 became Queen of France. During her years at the court of Versailles, Marie Antoinette was one of the prominent figures in French cultural life, fashion, and art. Her portraits reflected the changing fashions of the royal court, from high and elaborate hairstyles adorned with feathers and jewellery to simpler and more natural clothing in her later years. Her likeness was immortalised by important artists, including Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755–1842), who was one of the Queen's principal portrait painters. Following the French Revolution and her execution in 1793, her portraits continued to appear in paintings, miniatures, prints, and decorative art objects, sometimes as historical keepsakes and expressions of nostalgia for the French monarchy. In terms of its subject, the present miniature belongs to this tradition of commemorating the Queen's likeness through small and personal works of art. Artistic and Collecting Significance The miniature combines several characteristics of artistic and collecting interest: a portrait of a historical royal figure, watercolour and pencil work, an elaborate hairstyle characteristic of the French court in the late 18th century, and a circular decorative box made of natural material. The resemblance to the portrait attributed to Joseph Boze, documented in the Bonhams sale of 1996, adds comparative and scholarly interest to the work. **Sitter:** Marie Antoinette (1755–1793), Queen of France **Artistic Source:** After an 18th-century portrait; resemblance to a work attributed to Joseph Boze **Genre:** Royal Portrait Miniature Mounted in a Box **Technique:** Watercolour and Pencil **Box Material:** Light-coloured natural material **Box Diameter:** 6.5 cm **Box Height:** 1.6 cm **Provenance:** Private Collection **Historical Comparison:** Bonhams, London, 19 March 1996, Lot 28
Auction 02: Rare 18th–19th Century Portrait Miniatures & Mourning Jewellery — Melis Antiques & Art