Jacob Ferdinand VOET and workshop (Antwerp, 1639 - Paris, 1700 ) Five portraits of the Mancini sisters, nieces of Cardinal Mazarin Presumed portrait of Marie Mancini, Constable Colonna (1639-1715) Oil on canvas 68 x 55.5 cm Portrait of Diane Gabrielle de Thianges-Mancini, Duchess of Nevers (1656-1715) Oil on canvas, oval set in a rectangle 73.5 x 60 cm Portrait of Hortense Mancini, Duchess of Mazarin (1646-1699) Oil on canvas 76 x 62.5 cm Presumed portrait of Olympe Mancini, Countess of Soissons (1638-1708) Oil on canvas 74.5 x 62 cm Presumed portrait of Marie-Anne Mancini, Duchess of Bouillon (1649-1714) 73 x 60 cm (Restorations on each) Five portraits, oil on canvas, by J. F. Voet and workshop Provenance: Collection of the Miramon family at Château de Paulhac, Haute-Loire, at least in 1951 (at the time of the MH classification of this family property, notice no.: PM43000366); Anonymous sale; Narbonne, Me Me Meyzen, 16 April 2016, no. 91 ; Acquired at the time of this sale by the current owners. This suite of five portraits is classified as a historic monument. They may not leave French territory. In Rome, the Antwerp-born Jacob Ferdinand Voet enjoyed a meteoric rise thanks to his talent as a portrait painter and his entrepreneurial skills. His interpersonal skills quickly opened the doors to a large circle of patrons and art lovers. In 1669, he received his first commission from Queen Christine of Sweden, followed by others in 1679 from Agostini Chigi and Maria Virginia Borghese. During his stay in Italy from 1663 to 1684, he was also commissioned by the Pamphilj, Rospigliosi, Attieri, Odescalchi, Carpegna, Sacchetti, Pozzo and Colonna families. During the 1670s, he produced several series known as Le Gallerie delle belle, a series of portraits of Roman women distinguished by their extreme beauty. The first set was assembled by the Chigi family between 1672 and 1678. This series comprised thirty-seven portraits painted by Voet for the Sala da Pranzo d'Estate in the Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia. Our set of five paintings depicts several portraits of the Mancini sisters, nieces of Cardinal Mazarin and renowned for their great beauty and charm. When their father died, they left Rome for Paris in the hope of making advantageous marriages thanks to their uncle's influence. They all became playmates of Louis XIV and his brother. Marie Mancini, who won the heart of Louis XIV when they met in 1658, and Hortense Mancini, who was the lover of Charles II during his exile in England, are undoubtedly the best known. Both were also women of letters and printed their memoirs. Diane de Thianges, who married the Duc de Mazarin in 1670, was a popular model for Voet and the painter Pierre Mignard (1612-1695). Olympe, who had also won the favour of the young Louis XIV, became known at court for her involvement in various plots and affairs, including the poisons affair in 1679. Through her marriage to Prince Eugène de Carignan, she gave birth to the famous Prince Eugène de Savoie (1663-1736). As commander-in-chief of the armies of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince Eugène amassed a large collection of works of art, including an important painting by Guido Reni depicting David and Goliath. This will be on show in our galleries on 25 November. Less famous, Marie-Anne and Laure Mancini had less eventful fates. Despite efforts to identify the many portraits of the Mancini sorelle, confusion persists. The success of this iconography of the belles is borne out by the numerous galleries of beauties commissioned by other sovereigns long after the 17th century, such as Ludwig I of Bavaria for his Nymphenburg castle. Jacob Ferdinand VOET and workshop (Antwerp, 1639 - Paris, 1700 )