Jean-Baptiste Greuze

Emperor Napoléon III (1808-1873), Palais des Tuileries, Paris, later Chislehurst, England:
By inheritance to his wife, Empress Eugénie (1826-1920), Farnborough Hill Properties, Hants.;
Her posthumous sale, London, Christie's, 1 July 1927, lot 49, to Swaine (where called 'Portrait of a Boy, said to be the Dauphin');
With Wildenstein & Co., New York;
By whom sold to William Randolph Hearst, New York, 1927;
His sale, New York, Parke-Bernet, 5 January 1939, lot 20, bought in for $13,500 (where called 'Louis XVII, as Dauphin);
By whom given to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in 1948 (acc. no. 48.24.180);
By whom deaccessioned and sold, Los Angeles, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 7 November 1977, lot 172;
There purchased John James and Marian Bowater, Los Angeles;
Thence by descent to the present owner.

J. Martin and C. Masson, Catalogue raisonnė de l'œuvre peint et dessinė de Jean-Baptiste Greuze, in  C. Mauclair, J.-B. Greuze, Paris 1906, p. 62, cat. no. 982 (as Jeune garçon brun);
P. Wescher and E. Feinblatt, Los Angeles County Museum, Catalogue of Paintings I: Catalogue of Italian French and Spanish Paintings, XV-XVIII Century, Los Angeles 1954, p. 66, cat. no. 68, reproduced (where called "Portrait of a Young Boy").

Painting is on oval canvas which has been laid down on a rectangular canvas. the portrait is painted in a very broad, sketchy manner and nice thick brush strokes can be seen throughout, especially in his jacket. the flesh tones and hair are very nicely preserved. ultraviolet light reveals small cosmetic retouches to face on tip of his nose, chin, and forehead. a few tiny retouches scattered on shoulder at left and over an old repaired L-shaped tear on left shoulder. some tiny ones scattered here and there on jacket and in background. painting has been recently cleaned and these retouches have been well applied, so there is no need for further work and painting is ready to hang. In an elaborately carved and gilt wood frame with losses to the corners and nicks to the gilding.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

We are grateful to Edgar Munhall for confirming the attribution to Greuze. A copy of Dr. Munhall's report, along with a list of comparable images is available upon request.