French School, circa 1803

By descent from the sitters until sold ("Property from a Private European Collection"), New York, Christie's, 21 October 1997, lot 334 ($120,000), where acquired by the present owner.

The Marquis and Marquise de Cramayel had seven children: Louis-François, Marquis de Cramayel (1787-1869); Richard-Vincent, Comte de Cramayel (1788-1834); René-Eleuthère, who became the Marquis de Fontaine and was appointed senator to Napoleon III in 1854 (1789-1863); Félicie, Comtesse de Montjoy (1794-1826); Jean-Edouard, Comte de Cramayel (1802-1886); Adèle-Alexandrine-Apoline, Comtesse de Cramayel (1802-1886); and Joseph Napoléon, Comte d'Arcy (1803-1871), whose birth the present work would appear to commemorate.  The Marquis and Marquise owned a château in Moissy-Cramayel, near Paris, where the Marquis was employed as a férmier-général.