366 - Portrait drawing of Christine of France (1606–1663), daughter of King Henry IV - attr. to Nicholas Lagneau

Portrait drawing of Christine of France (1606–1663), daughter of King Henry IV - attr. to Nicholas Lagneau 23.5 x 16.2 cm. Attr. to Nicholas Lagneau and inscribed in the back, daughter of King Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici, who later became Duchess of Savoy. This hypothesis was based on the apparent age, the semi-profile pose, and the pearl necklace. The most plausible working hypothesis is that the drawing might originate from the group of 40 sheets in the Jakob Heinrich von Hefner-Alteneck collection, sold at Hugo Helbing, Munich, on June 6, 1904 (lot 509). After this sale is been collected by annonimus collectors who stamp his collections with initials H.B. or L. 3499 in Frits Lugt Collectors marks. This work once belonged to a distinguished—albeit still unidentified—collector who marked his pieces with a stamp bearing the initials "NB." Major auction houses frequently cite significant graphic works that passed through this collection at some point. The Frits Lugt catalogue lists the mark as L3499. The paper bears a watermark characteristic of the late 17th century. The drawing measures 23.5 x 16.2 cm. Extensive research suggests that this drawing originated from a lot sold at auction featuring depictions of prominent figures from the French royal court. The portrait shows a young girl wearing a pearl necklace; she almost certainly belonged to a royal or extremely wealthy family, given that such a necklace would have been a luxury item at the time.