French school circa 1720 After Pierre Gobert Portrait of King Louis XV as a child Oil on canvas Without frame Portrait of the young Louis XV, oil on canvas, French school ca. 1720 92 x 72,50 cm (36,22 x 28,54 in.) Provenance: Private collection, France Comment: The young Louis XV was portrayed many times by Pierre Gobert and gave rise to numerous replicas. Our version is derived from Gobert's full-length portrait of the young king. He is shown standing, with his right hand resting on a crown, in front of an armchair wearing a royal robe trimmed with ermine (anonymous sale; London, Sotheby's, 14 December 2000, no. 219). This painting was engraved by Jean Audran around 1720-1725 (see London, British Museum, 1877,0811.1226). Our version has a closer view, with the king in three-quarter view, looking to the left. Louis XV is wearing the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Holy Spirit and a long red coat delicately decorated with gold embroidery. The sleeves of this coat are particularly remarkable for their gold and silver thread decoration. The birth of the heir to the French throne and his rapid accession to the throne led to the production of numerous portraits that served as diplomatic gifts. The Prado Museum in Madrid has another portrait of Louis XV by Pierre Gobert, showing the king aged just four (inv. no. P002262). This portrait may have been sent to Spain to prepare for the King's engagement to the Infanta Marie-Anne Victoire. The king's extreme youth inspired other painters such as Augustin Oudart Justina, who also painted a full-length portrait of the child king in 1716 (oil on canvas, Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, MV 8562).