NARRATOR:
Nicholas de Largillière was one of the great 18th-century French portraitists.Trained in Antwerp, he much admired the works of Rubens and van Dyck, who inspired the strong, luminous colors and lavish textures so evident in this painting.
After his return to Paris in 1682, Largillière quickly established himself as the leading portraitist of the French bourgeoisie. Here, he portrays Lambert de Vermont, a prominent Parisian banker and important patron of the arts. Closely following the conventions of portraiture, he shows Lambert seated in a large, gold-trimmed armchair, a classical column and rich swath of drapery behind him. Notice how luxuriously he renders the velvet robe with its crisp satin lining, describing multiple layers and qualities of black. And don’t miss the intricacy of the white lace at the sitter’s neck and wrists, complimented by the softness of his powdered wig. Its cascading curls gently frame Lambert’s youthful face, making it the focus of the painting.
In 17th- and 18th-century portraiture, a sitter’s pose and gestures were considered of the utmost importance. One critic remarked:
ACTOR:
“For what purpose does the action of the body serve? Does it not serve to express the sentiments and the passions which occupy the soul?”
NARRATOR:
Here, Lambert’s gesture—one hand holding his cloak, the other pointing outwards—was considered most suitable for public speaking. It implied a speaker’s eloquence and persuasive power.
Portrait of Lambert de Vermont
c. 1697
Nicolas de Largillière (French, 1656-1746)
Not on View
Along with Hyacinthe Rigaud, Nicolas de Largillière was a leading portraitist in 18th-century France. He was born in Paris but educated in Antwerp, where he was introduced to the work of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. After his return to France, Largillière became the preferred painter of the French upper classes. The sitter of this stately portrait, Nicolas Lambert de Vermont, was an advisor to King Louis XIV and a Provost of the Merchants of Paris. Clients like Lambert relied on Largillière’s impressive portraits to demonstrate and aggrandize their social standing. Grandiose displays of wealth, such as this sitter’s luscious velvet, delicate lace and voluminous wig, were common. The type of “full-bottom” wig seen here was a popular symbol of elevated status and extravagant luxury in Louis XIV’s court. Its construction could require as much as 10 heads’ worth of human hair.
Details
- Artist Name: Nicolas de Largillière (French, 1656-1746)
- Title: Portrait of Lambert de Vermont
- Date: c. 1697
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 57-1/2 x 44-3/4 in. (146.1 x 113.7 cm)
- Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation
- Accession Number: M.1982.6.1.P
- Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Object Information
Baron Alphonse de Rothschild, Château de Ferrières, by descent in the Rothschild family;
[P. & D. Colnaghi & Co., London, sold 1982 to];
Norton Simon Art Foundation.
[P. & D. Colnaghi & Co., London, sold 1982 to];
Norton Simon Art Foundation.
Salon
- Paris, Salon, 1699 to 1699
Reinstallation of Galleries: Art History of the 17th and 18th Century Gains Fresh Dimension
- Norton Simon Museum, 1993-09-02 to 1995-08-13
- Rosenfeld, M., Largillière and the Eighteenth-Century Portrait, 1982, pp. 102-103
- Masterpieces from the Norton Simon Museum, 1989, p. 86
- Meyer, Arline, Art Bulletin, 2000, fig. 18 pp. 55-57
- Meunier, Etienne, Société Archéologique de Sens, 2008, fig. 9 p. 164
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1696 p. 436
Image reproduction permission may be granted for scholarly or arts related commercial use. All image requests, regardless of their intended purpose, should be submitted via the reproduction request form.
Images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. Additional permission may be required.
Approved requests for the reproduction of an image will receive a contract detailing all fees and conditions of use of the image. Upon receipt of both the signed contract and full payment, the Office of Rights and Reproductions will provide the image. A complimentary copy of the published material must be provided to the Norton Simon Museum.