Portrait of Rear Admiral and Maritime Prefect Félicité Louis - Lot 99

Portrait of Rear Admiral and Maritime Prefect Félicité Louis Urbain Menouvrier de Fresne (1783–1848) Oil on canvas in its substantial late 19th-century period frame of wood and gilded stucco. A bust portrait, with light directed toward the face; the pose, colors, and style are typical of official portraits of the period. The Rear Admiral is depicted in the uniform of a general officer of the Navy, with his shoulders adorned with large epaulets confirming his rank of Admiral. On the left side of his torso is the Grand Officer’s plaque of the Legion of Honor. On the right side of his torso are several medals, including the Cross of Commander of the Legion of Honor and the Cross of Knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis. The painting is in excellent condition and retains a lovely freshness of color. The frame, richly decorated with leaves and friezes, also features swan spandrels, a reference to the brig “Le Cygne” that he commanded during the Battle of Céron north of Martinique on December 12, 1808. Unfortunately, this brig sank on his orders after hours of intense combat against the British. The frame is in good condition. Viewing dimensions: 92x72cm Total dimensions: 130x110cm The entire piece is in good condition. Provenance: Estate of Mrs. Annick de la FOUCHARDIERE, wife of Jean-Jacques SCHWING, a Resistance fighter and deportee who was part of the “F2” network in Saint-Brieuc. She was interned, tortured, and deported in September 1944 to RAVENSBUCK.