Jean-François de Troy

Princess Sophia of Hanover (1630-1714), daughter of Elizabeth of Bohemia;
bought by Georg Kestner (1774-1867), Hannover;
by descent to his daughter Wilhelmine Kestner (1803-1880), who inherited the picture in 1867, and in 1822 married Georg Ludwig Laves;
thence by descent in the Laves family, Hannover;
Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 30th November 2000, lot 104 (bt. for £17,000 by the present owner)

Listed in the Inventories of Princess Sophia of Hannover in 1709, no. 606,  and in 1714, p. 70;
Listed in the inventories of Georg Kestner in 1867, no. 196

STRUCTURE The canvas is unlined, but has a strip lining to the canvas edges. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in very good condition. There is no apparent significant loss or damage. There are some minor surface marks to the left of the sitter's neck and there appears to be some old strengthening to the background around the neck and shoulders. There is an old and slightly discoloured varnish overall and some minor abrasion marks peripheries of the picture. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light confirms the opacity and discolouration of the varnish. There is one small area of minor retouching in the sitter's right cheek and another very small area on the jawline below. There is scattered minor retouching in the background overall, particularly to one area in the extreme upper centre above the sitter's head and around the edges of the canvas. FRAME Held in a carved and gilded frame. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com, or Ludo Shaw Stewart on +44 (0)207 293 5816, or at ludovic.shawstewart@sothebys.com.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in exile at St Germaine-en-Laye, the sitter was the daughter of James II of England and Mary of Modena. Known to Jacobites as The Princess Royal, Louisa died of smallpox in 1712, aged 20.

The present painting is one of a pair, the pendant being a portrait of her elder brother James Edward Stuart, The Old Pretender (Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum, Hannover). Both pictures were originally in the collection of the Electress Princess Sophia of Hannover, and were acquired by the archivist and collector Georg Kestner in the nineteenth century. The majority of Kestner's collection descended to his eldest son Herrmann who founded the Kestner Museum in Hannover, now the city's State Museum.