Artwork
Portrait de Conrad Detlef, comte de Dehn
Portrait de Conrad Detlef, comte de Dehn is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Nicolas de Largillière. It dates from 1724 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1724, this oil portrait shows Conrad Detlef, Count of Dehn, seated in an elegant pose.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1724, this oil portrait shows Conrad Detlef, Count of Dehn, seated in an elegant pose. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies the refined portraiture for which the French artist Nicolas de Largillière was renowned during the early 18th century.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is presented with long, curled white hair, a richly patterned red‑and‑gold coat, and aristocratic accessories—a black hat in his right hand and a white glove in his left. The composition conveys status and dignity, emphasizing the count’s noble rank through his attire and the composed, formal demeanor.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting displays Largillière’s characteristic attention to surface texture and fabric detail. Subtle modeling of light across the velvet coat and the polished hat demonstrates a controlled use of chiaroscuro, while the darkened wall and curtain backdrop focus the viewer’s eye on the figure.
History & Provenance
Nicolas de Largillière, a leading French portraitist who later directed the Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture (1733‑35), painted this work during the Rococo period. After changing hands over the centuries, it entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains on view.
Context
The portrait reflects early‑18th‑century French aristocratic conventions, where elaborate dress and personal objects such as books and decorative boxes signaled education and refinement. Largillière’s ability to capture both the material richness and the psychological presence of his sitters made him a sought‑after painter among the European elite.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas de Largillière (French: ; baptised 10 October 1656 – 20 March 1746) was a French painter and draughtsman. From 1733 until 1735, he was director of the Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture.
