Apr 25, 2019
Mar 5, 2007
Apr 25, 2019
Apr 25, 2019

Portrait of Jean-Gabriel du Theil at the Signing of the Treaty of Vienna

Portrait of Jean-Gabriel du Theil at the Signing of the Treaty of Vienna

1738–40

Jacques André Joseph Aved

(French, 1702–1766)

Oil on canvas

Framed: 153.5 x 121.5 x 13.5 cm (60 7/16 x 47 13/16 x 5 5/16 in.); Unframed: 124.5 x 92.4 cm (49 x 36 3/8 in.)

John L. Severance Fund 1964.89

Did you know?

Smoke rising from the candle suggests that du Theil has just added his molten wax seal to the document before him.

Description

As secretary of foreign affairs for Louis XV of France, Jean-Gabriel du Theil (1685–1755) helped negotiate the 1738 Treaty of Vienna, which ceded the Duchy of Lorraine to France. The seal du Theil holds in his hand, the silver-gilt writing set, and the thick document all allude to these negotiations, while the wisp of smoke rising from the candle used to melt the sealing wax suggests that the treaty has only just concluded. Du Thiel’s relaxed posture conveys calm assurance, but his sharp gaze is that of a shrewd negotiator. A costume encrusted with gold embroidery and (just visible at his chest) the pink ribbon and star of the royal Order of Saint Lazarus, are visible manifestations of du Theil’s prestigious position.

See also
Type of artwork: 
Painting
Medium: 
Oil on canvas

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email [email protected].

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.