This ring is inspired by the portrait of Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland with her son, the royal prince Gérard painted by François Pascal Simon, Baron (1770-1837). Oil on canvas, 1807 in the National Museum of the Château de Fontainebleau.
François Gérard, a pupil of Jacques-Louis David, was...
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This ring is inspired by the portrait of Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland with her son, the royal prince Gérard painted by François Pascal Simon, Baron (1770-1837). Oil on canvas, 1807 in the National Museum of the Château de Fontainebleau.
François Gérard, a pupil of Jacques-Louis David, was one of the most sought-after painters of his time. The commissions given to him by Bonaparte after 1800 opened up the way for him to an official career. He was named "the painter of kings and the king of painters". His success extended to the ruling families of Europe who wished to be immortalised by his brushes. The daughter of Joséphine de Beauharnais, Hortense married Louis Bonaparte, the younger brother of the First Consul, in 1802. She gave birth to three children, including the future Napoleon III.
In this portrait Hortense appears for the first time as Queen of Holland, holding by the hand her second son, Napoleon Louis. This great picture is distinguished by the elegance of the pose, the mother's gentleness and the son's timidity. Imbued with the spirit of great 18th century paintings, it emphasizes the painter's mastery of the depiction of fabrics, the shimmer of embroidery and the radiance of jewels.
Keep the jewel away from dust and humidity.
Avoid contact with perfume, chemical products and cosmetics; avoid wetting the jewel.
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