Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne the Younger (1704 Paris -1778 ibid.) Bust of Marie-Angélique Diderot, the later Marquise (Madame) de Vandeul Terracotta. Signed and dated. "J. B. Lemoyne fecit 1770". Marble plinth. Depicted is Marie-Angélique Diderot, by marriage since 1772 Marquise de Vandeul (1753 - 1824), daughter of the famous French writer, philosopher, literary and art theorist and encyclopaedist Denis Diderot. The subtly characterising bust in three-quarter profile with finely modelled hair, clothing, face and body is characterised by grace, elegance and a certain lightness. Lemoyne is regarded as one of the most talented sculptors of the Rococo and Neoclassical periods. In addition to his monumental statues for the gardens of Versailles, he was best known for his expressive portrait busts. He was awarded the Prix de Rome, became a member of the Academy in 1738 and later its director. He was a favourite sculptor of Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV and an important patron of the arts. He was particularly known for the quality of his portrait busts, which captured the fleeting nuances of expression and conveyed a sense of movement. In addition to busts of the King, Madame de Pompadour and Queen Marie Antoinette, he created portrait busts of numerous other personalities from society, culture and science. Height 60 cm. Another version of the bust with a comparable plinth is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cf. /Lit.: Marie-Noëlle Grison: "A newly discovered bust of a woman by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne", in "The Burlington magazine", January 2015, pp. 9-13. Provenance: Dissolution of an important German private collection - Part II. Previously in auction at Koller, Zurich, 12.03.1992, lot 841; auction at Nagel, Stuttgart, 28.03.2003, lot 987. Terracotta bust on a marble base. Signed and dated underneath shoulder: "J. B. Lemoyne fecit 1770" (incised).