Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743), Jean de Chambrier (1686-1751) , 1722-1723, oil on canvas, signed, dated, titled and situated on verso, 81x64 cm Provenance: Château d'Auvernier, Neuchâtel Webography: Stéphan Perreau, Catalogue raisonnée de Hyacinthe Rigaud, ref. P. 1315, https://www.hyacinthe-rigaud.com/catalogue-raisonne-hyacinthe-rigaud/portraits/881-chambrier-jean-de Bibliography: BIF, ms 624, fol. 41 v°, Quartier-La-Tente, 1903, p. 75 , Roman, 1919, p. 195 [f] , Stéphan Perreau, Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743): catalogue concis de l'œuvre, Nouvelles presses du Languedoc, Montpellier, 2013, p. 268, no. P.1315 Ariane James-Sarazin et al, Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1659-1743, Catalogue raisonné, Tome 2, Ed. Faton, Dijon, 2016, p. 482, no. 1410, ill. Inscription on reverse of canvas: Josue Le Chambrier Siegr de / Travanet Diocese de Castres, né le 21 nov. / 1686 / fait par hyacinthe Rigaud à Pa[r]is 1723 Note: The inscription on the reverse of the work mentions Josué de Chambrier (1686-1763). However, the editors of two catalogues raisonnés of Hyacinthe Rigaud, Mme James-Sarazin and Mr Perreau, identify the subject as Mr Jean de Chambrier (1686-1751) on the basis of manuscripts of the artist's account books held at the Bibliothèque de l'institut de France (ms 624). Inscriptions on verso: Josue Le Chambrier Siegr de Travanet Diocese of Castres, born 21 Nov. 1686 Networks of craquelure The work was cleaned and restored in 2014 HYACINTHE RIGAUD: A MASTERPIECE IN NEUCHÂTEL Born in Neuchâtel into a patrician family, Jean de Chambrier served Prussia, sovereign of the principality of Neuchâtel, from 1707. He became a State Councillor in 1721, minister to the King of Prussia at the French court from 1722, was made a baron in 1737, raised to the rank of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary in 1740, and decorated with the Order of Generosity. At the heart of Paris-Berlin exchanges, he embodied the international openness of French-speaking Switzerland. This important portrait of Jean de Chambrier, painted during a stay in Paris in 1723, is documented in the same year by a payment of 500 livres for "M. Chambrier de Neuchâtel, minister to the King of Prussia". With its sober composition and sumptuous rendering, the work illustrates the art of Hyacinthe Rigaud, at its height in the 1720s: moiré light, lace and changing taffeta are rendered with exceptional virtuosity. The artist's expression conveys the elegance, authority and stature of a high-ranking diplomat. Once completed, the work was turned into an engraving by Schmidt. The life of Baron de Chambrier is also linked to his sumptuous home. Château d'Auvernier, built in 1559 and acquired by Pierre Chambrier in 1603, embodies more than 400 years of family history. It has been passed down from generation to generation, notably by the Sandoz-Rollin, Pourtalès and Montmollin families. Over the centuries, it has been home to captains in the service of France, Savoy and the United Provinces, governors of the Principality of Neuchâtel, a chamberlain to the King of Prussia and state councillors. According to tradition, this portrait has remained in the family since it was commissioned in 1723 and added to the Château d'Auvernier collections. This centuries-old provenance gives it exceptional status. A rare combination of pictorial quality and historical importance, the portrait of Jean de Chambrier is a benchmark of Rigaud's work and a milestone in Swiss heritage. All the lots marked in blue in the printed catalogue come from the Château d'Auvernier collection. Old masters (lots 2354, 2355, etc.) and silverware from the 17th and 18th centuries (lots 1379, 1380, etc.) are also part of this collection. They can be easily identified by searching for the keyword "Auvernier" in the Piguet.com search bar.