MARIE-GENEVIÈVE FAVART NÉE BELLOT | Franco-Colombus Fenwick 's Portrait

Fenwick's heirs; 
By whom sold to the present owners. 

Relined. The varnish is clear. Light whitening of the varnish. A little worn in some places in the landscape. Golden period frame. Under the UV light : Many micro--repaints scattered on the canvas. Several more important repaints : on the upper left, a repaint due to an old sinuous tear of about 15 cm ; a medium repaint in the sky ; another very thin repaint on the right, hiding a small tear in the shape of a "T" of about 3 by 6 cm ; on the bottom, to the right of the subject's feet, two important covering repaints ; there's a thin circular line on the left of the subject, that might be due to an old tear. Otherwise, some repaints of lesser importance, including in the bottom.
"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."

Joseph Fenwick (1762-1849) was Franco-Colombus' father. He came from a Catholic family in Maryland. He settled in Bordeaux in 1787 where he made a fortune as a wine merchant, before becoming the first consul of the United States. He was appointed to this position by George Washington in 1790, which he held until 1801 in Bordeaux, where the hôtel Fenwick (the first United States consulate ever created) remains today. In 1792, he married a French, Catherine Eléonore Ménoire, and their only son Franco-Columbus, born in 1793, also became a consul for the United States in Nantes. Here, Franco-Columbus is represented aged about ten, after finishing a game of "quille de neuf". The attribution to Favart rests more upon the inscription on the back and on the old plate on the frame than on the monogram EF carved on the tree (the E could refer to another first name or surname of the artist).