Portrait of King Charles II of England
Historical Context
Philippe de Champaigne painted this portrait of King Charles II of England in 1653, during the exiled king's years on the Continent before the Restoration of 1660. Champaigne, the leading French painter of the Jansenist movement, was also accomplished as a court portraitist, having served both Louis XIII and the regent Anne of Austria. This portrait of the young pretender reflects the diplomatic networks that connected the exiled Stuart court with France.
Technical Analysis
Champaigne's characteristically austere yet precise technique renders the young king with dignified restraint. The cool, clear palette and smooth paint handling reflect his Jansenist-influenced aesthetic of clarity and truth, while the formal composition conveys royal bearing despite the sitter's precarious political status.
Provenance
Jules Feral (sale: Paris, Hotel Drouot, May 30, 1903, as portrait of James II by Lely); [E. Gimpel and Wildenstein, New York]; Stanley Mortimer, New York (sale: Parke-Bernet, December 2, 1944, no. 85, illus. p. 57); [Duveen Brothers, Inc., New York]. The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Fund, 1959.
