Château de Chantilly pre-empt Miniature
November 24 2023
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Château de Chantilly have announced that they have pre-empted a miniature sold in the recent Christie's Paris auction. Jean Decourt's group portrait, showing Catherine de Medici surrounded by her family, realised a total of €22,680 (inc. commission) in the recent sale.
The catalogue note makes for an interesting read, and claims the following:
Further research is necessary in order to determine whether this miniature is an isolated work or, more likely, an illumination detached from a larger manuscript. The central positioning of Catherine de’ Medici, as well as her love for portraits, suggests that this miniature was likely commissioned by the queen mother herself. The unlikely gathering of the two brothers who were each kings of France and the absence of their younger siblings Francis and Margaret, reinforces the significance of this miniature as celebrating the ascension of Henry III to the throne in 1575.
