The Print Collection, ca. 1776 -

SERIES VII.-XII.
 
 

Miscellaneous Before 1800 SERIES VII.  PORTRAITS:  MISCELLANEOUS BEFORE 1800

Series VII (Box 6) contains portraits referred to as "miscellaneous before 1800."  Many of these prints contain characteristics common to several of the previous series, but cannot be separated into such specific categories.  For the most part, these portraits display the younger Lafayette in the uniform of the Paris National Guard.

Clary SERIES VIII.  PORTRAITS:  CLARY

Prints of Series VIII (Box 6-7) are based upon the 1818 Clary (?-?) portrait of Lafayette. This type shows Lafayette at the time of his return to French politics as leader of the liberal opposition to the reactionary Bourbon regime of Louis XVIII.  Such portraits reflect his years of private life in the French countryside after time spent in prison and exile.  His is portrayed both in civilian clothes and uniform with a rather full face, white collar, neck-band tied in a loose bow, and usually a jabot.

Scheffer SERIES IX.  PORTRAITS:  SCHEFFER

Series IX (Box 7-8) contains prints of Lafayette based on the 1822 portrait painted by Ary Scheffer (1795-1858).  The original painting now hangs in the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.  Just as the Quenedey profile of Series II and the Weyler portrait of Series V were the most popular representations of Lafayette as a young man, the Scheffer full-length figure became the world's conception of Lafayette in his later years.  Consequently, this series is also one of the largest of the collection, containing approximately 60 portraits of Lafayette.  The characteristics of the Scheffer-type print are distinctive and range as follows:  in full-length or bust, to the left, in civilian clothes and an open heavy overcoat, right hand holding a hat and resting on a walking stick, left hand on his hip or partially thrust into his pocket, and white neck-cloth in a bow or knotted.  Several portraits located toward the end of the series portray Lafayette without the overcoat.

Gerard SERIES X.  PORTRAITS:  GERARD

There is no known record of a Lafayette portrait rendered by an artist named Gerard, although the majority of the prints in Series X (Box 8) carry the notation "Gerard pinxt."  This indicates that the image from which the print was designed was painted by Gerard.  Prints of this series are dated ca. 1830, and several are of German or Dutch origin. They display Lafayette in civilian dress and have a certain awkwardness to them, as if the man is uncomfortable in his bulky clothes.  The overcoat is usually buttoned and he wears a white collar and neck-band with a bow or sometimes a ruffle or jabot.

Maurin SERIES XI.  PORTRAITS:  MAURIN

The French historical painter, Antoine Maurin (1793-1860), is responsible for the design of prints in Series XI (Box 8-9).  These show Lafayette in both uniform and in civilian dress, in bust or full-length portrait.  The characteristic face and presentation is apparent in the civilian dress portraits and includes a partially unbuttoned coat, a white collar with loose bow or knot, and a ribbon decoration on the left lapel.  In many cases, his face is shown with a tired expression and with a suggestion of a smile.

Julien SERIES XII.  PORTRAITS:  JULIEN

Prints of Series XII (Box 9-10) are examples of prints after the Scheffer type of Series IX and the Gerard type of Series X.  The major artist of the group is Simon Julien (1735-1800), although several prints are related to the works of artist A. Geille (1802-1843), J. Massard (1740-1822), and Gabriel Marchand (1755-?).  A common characteristic to all these prints is the military uniform with a plain black neck-band.  Some characteristics are specific to each artist, such as in the case of the Julien type prints, where the top and fourth button of the coat are undone.  In the Geille type, the top four buttons are undone on the coat and the head is tilted back.  The Massard prints exhibit a different style coat, unbuttoned, with an embroidered collar.  The Massard is more likely to be classed after the Scheffer type.  In the Marchand prints, the coat is also as in the Massard type, without an embroidered collar.

BACK | TO SERIES XIII.-XVIII.