Jean Baptiste Weyler

With Philip Mould Ltd., London,
from where purchased by the present owner

This work is in good condition.
"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."

Henri-Louis Cain, known as 'Lekain', was among the great tragic actors of his day. In this fine enamel he is seen in the role of Orosmane in Voltaire’s Zaïre, a play that was first performed by the Comédie Française in August of 1732 and gained popularity throughout the 18^th Century. 

The present composition is based on an oil painting by Simon-Bernard Lenoir, a work that was exhibited at the Salon in 1784 and is now in the collection of Comédie Française.¹

There are two enamel portraits of the sitter by Weyler in Louvre, Paris, one signed and dated 1782.

1. H. Williams, Turquerie, An Eighteenth-Century European Fantasy, London 2014, p. 80, fig. 96