Acquisition of a watercolor drawing by Dugourc
18 October 2020
The Mansart Foundation extends its gratitude to the La Marck Foundation for its generous donation, which allowed the acquisition of a watercolor drawing by Dugourc.
The watercolor, painted in 1777 by Jean-Démosthène Dugourc, depicts the Count of Artois shortly after the construction of the Bagatelle Castle. At the age of 20, the young prince stands before his regiment, which parades in the background on the plain of Bagatelle. He is dressed in his Colonel General of the Swiss and Grisons uniform and wears the Orders of the Holy Spirit and the Golden Fleece. His page, in the livery of the House of Artois, stands behind him, holding his horse.
An observant eye will notice the Bagatelle Castle painted in the background of the painting. Dugourc makes a reference to the monumental construction project in which he was involved. As the brother-in-law of the architect François-Joseph Bélanger, he worked alongside sculptor Nicolas Lhuillier, painters Jean-Marie Dussaux, Antoine-François Callet, and Hubert Robert to decorate the architectural jewel that is the Bagatelle Castle