Louis de Silvestre (1675 Sceaux - 1760 Paris) Portrait of the Baron Pierre de Gaultier Representative, courtly portrait of the nobleman in quarter profile, wearing a richly embroidered blue justaucorps (over a breastplate) and an opulent allonge wig in keeping with his rank. The depicted Baron de Gaultier (1678 - 1742) came from a French Huguenot family; his father François Gaultier was one of the councillors of the Great Elector in Brandenburg. He himself was born in Geneva and was also initially in the service of Brandenburg before moving to the court of Augustus the Strong in Dresden around 1715. Between the 1710s and 1730s, Gaultier played a central role in the political and cultural life of the royal and electoral court. In 1716, the "Accisrat" Pierre Gaultier was appointed "Hof- und Justitienrat und Geheimen Referendario" by a "Speziaireskript" and was even promoted to "Wirklicher Geheimer Kriegsrat" in 1723. In 1721/22, he was elevated to the rank of Imperial Baron. From 1729 to 1733 (or 1727 to 1735) he was "Directeur de plaisirs" of the Electoral Saxon and Royal Polish Orchestra (today: Saxon State Orchestra Dresden). In this position, he was responsible for appointing numerous court servants such as chamberlains, musicians, theatre and ballet personnel. His countless correspondence partners also included the court painter Louis de Silvestre. As a result, Louis de Silvestre was the only portrait painter the baron considered commissioning for the present portrait. In 1716, Augustus the Strong appointed Silvestre to Dresden, where he worked until 1748, was appointed High Court Painter and ennobled. He created a wealth of portraits of the king, the court and the nobility, and in 1727 he became director of the Academy of Painting in Dresden. Oil on canvas; details of the sitter and inscription "peint par Silvestre 1723" on the verso. 81.5 cm x 63.5 cm. Provenance: From Saxon-Thuringian aristocratic property. We would like to thank Dr Olczak for her kind support and information. Oil on canvas. Inscribed on the reverse with information about the sitter and "peint par Silvestre 1723".