Louis-Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, attributed to Pierre Gobert

Louis-Henri de Bourbon (1692–1740) became the head of the Condé branch, one of the oldest branches of the hereditary nobility, in 1710. As Duke of Bourbon, he joined the Regency Council in 1716, as Louis XIV’s will stipulated that he should not take his seat until he came of age, at 24. He also sat on the Council of War. As the Regency drew to a close, Louis-Henri de Bourbon remained close to the circles of power, dividing his time between Paris and Versailles. In 1723, on the death of the Duke of Orléans, the Duke of Bourbon was appointed Prime Minister by Louis XV. In this capacity, he played a part in selecting the king’s future wife, Marie Leszczynska. However, he gradually lost his influence as Fleury became the de facto prime minister to King Louis XV. He was removed from power in 1726 and died at Chantilly in 1740, years after leaving the court.

The portrait preserved at the Château de Bussy-Rabutin is of a very classical style for princes of the blood, reflecting the almost permanent military role that the Condé family had played in the service of the monarchy since the^17th century. The prince wears the blue ribbon of the Order of the Holy Spirit, the highest order of chivalry under the Ancien Régime, and leans proudly on his staff of command, alongside his helmet and sword, which rest on a table covered in green velvet. The iconographic composition of the military portraits is traditional, despite the fact that the command sash is replaced here by a sumptuous pink velvet cloak lined with gold satin, whilst in the background the battle rages. It is likely to depict the siege of Fribourg (1713) during the War of the Spanish Succession (The Capture of the Town and Castle of Fribourg, 1714. Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France).

The full-length portrait of Bussy-Rabutin is attributed to Pierre Gobert, the official painter to the court aristocracy. Copies were produced by Jean Girardet, but the other versions of this portrait – one of which is held at the Chantilly Museum and another at the Palace of Versailles – are still attributed to Pierre Gobert, despite being of lesser quality.