17 - Conrad GEIGER (1751–1808), attributed to.

Conrad GEIGER (1751–1808), attributed to. Portrait of Caroline of Baden (1776–1841), first Queen of Bavaria. Oil on canvas. Circa 1807. H. 74 x W. 60 cm. Frame: H. 85 x W. 71 cm. Provenance French private collection. History A widower since 1796, Maximilian Joseph of Wittelsbach (1756–1825), then Duke of Deux-Ponts, married Princess Caroline of Baden in 1797 as his second wife. In 1799, he inherited the Electorate of Bavaria and reigned as Maximilian IV Joseph. An ally of France, he sided with Napoleon I (1769–1821) during the campaign of 1805. As a reward for this loyalty, the Treaty of Pressburg (December 26, 1805) elevated Bavaria to the status of a kingdom. On January 1, 1806, Maximilian thus became the first King of Bavaria under the name Maximilian I, and Caroline the first Queen. To seal this alliance, the sovereign agreed to break off the engagement of his eldest daughter, Augusta (1788–1851), to the future Grand Duke of Baden, so that she might marry Eugène de Beauharnais (1781–1824), Napoleon’s adopted son. Painted around 1807, our painting is among the earliest depictions of the new sovereigns. Its style echoes that of the official portrait of Maximilian I painted by Conrad Geiger (next lot). It is part of a series of official portraits intended to establish the legitimacy of the new ruling couple and thus contributes to the development of a new royal iconography. Geiger subsequently produced replicas in various formats, as evidenced by a smaller version held in a private collection in Geneva (ill. 1). Our painting reveals the influence of antiquity in all areas of the arts during the First Empire, including fashion. The discovery of the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum fueled a renewed taste for ancient ruins. Here, Caroline of Baden wears a sumptuous ensemble adorned with capricci—those ancient-inspired landscapes blending ruins, architecture, and imagination. Like other European sovereigns, such as Empress Josephine (ill. 2) or Caroline Bonaparte (ill. 3), the Queen of Bavaria appears in her official portrait adorned with ornaments befitting her rank. This portrait thus bears witness to the spread of the new imperial aesthetic and the fascination with antiquity within European courts. Related Works - Conrad Geiger (1751–1808), Portrait of Caroline of Baden, Queen of Bavaria, circa 1807, Geneva, private collection (ill. 1). - Andrea Appiani (1754–1817), Portrait of Empress Josephine (1763–1814), in the regalia of Queen of Italy, 1807, Rueil-Malmaison, National Museum of the Castles of Malmaison and Bois-Préau (ill. 2). - Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755–1842), Caroline Bonaparte (1782–1839) and her eldest daughter Laetitia Joséphine (detail), 1807, Versailles, Palaces of Versailles and Trianon (inv. MV4712) (ill. 3).