Cornelis Troost (1697-1750), Theodore Tronchin , 1735, oil on canvas, signed and dated, 80.5x65 cm Provenance: Tronchin Collection, Cabinet de Bessinge, Acquired in 1938 by Xavier Givaudan (1867-1966), then by inheritance from the current owner. Bibliography: Renée Loche, Catalogue des collections de François Tronchin , in: Genava, T. XXII, Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Genève, 1974, p. 190, no. 14, ill. b/w p. 193 Exhibition: Musée Rath, De Genève à l'Ermitage, les collections François Tronchin, Geneva, 1974 Doctor Théodore Tronchin was a renowned physician who advocated inoculation against smallpox and a form of hygiene in daily life that was completely innovative at the time. His fame spread throughout Europe, and many heads of state tried to attract him to their countries. He introduced smallpox to France and, in 1756, inoculated the children of the Duke of Orléans, who granted him the distinction of becoming his "first physician" in 1765, a position he held until his death. Repainted Repainted GIVAUDAN - TRONCHIN COLLECTION The brothers Xavier (1867-1966) and Léon (1875-1936) Givaudan became successful thanks to a flourishing industry producing synthetic perfumes, chemicals and soaps. Xavier Givaudan moved to Geneva in 1917, where he bought a town house on the corner of rue de la Cloche and quai du Mont-Blanc. In 1938, after renting it out for several years, he acquired the Domaine de Bessinge, a 50-hectare property on the site of the present-day Cologny golf course. Shortly after his death, the heirs sold the estate, while preserving a large part of the collections, including the paintings included in this catalogue. Lots 2015, 2016 and 2018 to 2022 come from this estate and appear on the market for the first time. Bessinge was owned by the famous Tronchin family, who played a key role in Geneva for almost three centuries. The estate was purchased in 1764 by Jacob Tronchin (1717-1801) and the residence built in 1840 by Henri Tronchin (1794-1865). It remained in the family's hands until it was acquired by Xavier Givaudan. Doctor Théodore Tronchin (1709-1781) was renowned throughout Europe for his medical skills and for inoculating the first children of crowned heads with vaccines (lots 2015 and 2022). The art collection really took off with Councillor François Tronchin (1704-1798). Tronchin was an eminent member of the Geneva patriarchate, a member of the Conseil des Deux-Cents and the Petit Conseil de Genève, a writer and friend of Diderot, and brought Voltaire to Geneva. A renowned politician and man of letters, he is now famous as a major art collector and painting expert, renowned from Paris to St Petersburg, as evidenced by the sale of his first collection to Empress Catherine II of Russia in 1770. On his death, Jean-Armand Tronchin, his nephew, had the artist Prud'hon and the first director of the Louvre, Vivant-Denon, choose thirty paintings to form the core of the Tronchin family art collection. Piguet has already auctioned paintings and objects from this property in March, September and December 2017. Today, we have the pleasure and honour of auctioning a remarkable group of works from this collection, including an impressive view of Geneva (lot 2018), showing the city and its ramparts at the time of the Escalade...