Artwork
Louis XV
Louis XV is a watercolor print by Pierre Drevet. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Pierre Drevet’s portrait of Louis XV, executed in engraving with watercolor accents, dates to roughly 1710. The work presents the future monarch in formal attire, rendered with fine line work and subtle colour washes. It resides in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, as part of its print collection.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a youthful Louis XV, later king of France, dressed in a white wig, a purple velvet coat embroidered with gold stars and fleur‑de‑lis, and a sash. He holds a sword in his left hand and gazes directly ahead, conveying a composed, regal bearing. A shield beneath him bears a crowned “F” within a wreath, referencing the French crown.
Technique & Style
Drevet combines intaglio engraving with delicate watercolor washes, a method that allows precise line definition while softening the surface with translucent pigment. The decorative elements—gold stars, fleur‑de‑lis, and the heraldic shield—are rendered with meticulous detail, characteristic of early‑18th‑century French portrait prints.
History & Provenance
Created around 1710, the portrait reflects the early phase of Louis XV’s public image before his accession. The piece entered the National Gallery of Art’s collection through acquisition (specific donor details not provided) and remains catalogued as a representative example of Drevet’s court portraiture.
Context
Pierre Drevet belonged to a lineage of French portrait engravers active for more than a century. His reputation was built on works such as this, and the family tradition continued through his son and nephew, who perpetuated the Drevet name in royal portraiture throughout the 18th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
The Drevet Family were leading portrait engravers of France for over a hundred years. Their fame began with Pierre, and was sustained by his son, Pierre-Imbert, and by his nephew, Claude.
