French school circa 1610 Presumed portrait of Sully as a cav - Lot 343

French school circa 1610 Presumed portrait of Sully as a cavalier Gouache on vellum 10 x 8.1 cm inscribed in an oval Our cavalier wears the marshal's baton, the white scarf Huguenot symbol during the Wars of Religion, which was substituted for the white helmet during the 3rd Civil War (1568- 1570). The ruff around the neck, fashionable since the reign of Henri III, found its proportions as seen here around 1595 and during the reign of Henri IV, disappearing under Louis XIII. The beard and moustache are also reminiscent of the reign of Henri IV. The military ordinance of July 1590 made the scarf compulsory. There are no known portraits of Henri IV's marshals close to the one we have here, although our figure is wearing the staff. An equestrian portrait of Louis XIII, sold at Lempertz (Anonymous sale, Cologne, Lempertz, May 16, 2014, no. 434, est. 8,000/10,000, res. €15,860), has similar characteristics: caparisoned horse with plume, armor adorned with white sash, imperator motif passing to the right. The horizon, ground, background and sky are treated identically. As Louis XIII is depicted as a child, the miniature could be dated between 1610 and 1615, during the regency of Marie de Médicis. Henri IV had just been assassinated. To establish the legitimacy of the young king (he was only 9 years old), a multitude of equestrian portraits, mostly engraved, were circulated, showcasing the child's royal and military qualities. An inscription on the back reads "Louis XIII jeune, 1610". Thus, if it is part of a series, our miniature could be dated between 1610 and 1615, and would represent a soldier from Henri IV's entourage, still in favor at the beginning of Louis XIII's reign. Expert : Cabinet de Bayser