Nicolas Le Vachez

About the Engraving

This rare 1789 engraving depicts Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, in the ceremonial costume reserved for deputies of the Order of the Nobility: a black cloth cloak over a formal suit with gold cloth trim, lace tie, and a Henri IV-style white feather hat. The portrait is set within an oval frame crowned with garlands of oak leaves, a classical motif symbolizing civic virtue and strength.

The French inscription beneath the frame reads: "Louis Phil. Joseph, Duke of Orleans. Member of Parliament for Crépy en Valois. Born April 13, 1747. General collection of Portraits of the Members of the National Assembly held in Versailles on May 4, 1789. In Paris at Le Vachez under the Colonnades of the Royal Palace nº 258." This engraving belongs to a significant series documenting the members of the National Assembly at the dawn of the French Revolution.

Historical Context

Louis-Philippe-Joseph (1747-1793), Duke of Chartres and later Duke of Orléans (1785-1790), descended from the royal Bourbon family yet became a fervent supporter of popular democracy during the Revolution. The great-great-grandson of Philippe I, duc d'Orléans (younger brother of Louis XIV), he was King Louis XVI's cousin but lived apart from the royal court at Versailles due to his hostility toward Queen Marie-Antoinette.

Supporting the underprivileged Third Estate, Louis-Philippe-Joseph was considered a hero by revolutionaries. After the fall of the monarchy in August 1792, he renounced his noble title and adopted the name Philippe Égalité. Elected to the National Convention, he voted for the execution of Louis XVI. Despite his revolutionary credentials, Égalité himself was sent to the guillotine in 1793, accused of conspiring with his son (the future King Louis-Philippe I) and Austrian accomplices.

About the Engraver

Nicolas-François Le Vachez (1740-180.?) was a French engraver and intaglio printer born in Saint-Jean-les-Deux-Jumeaux who resided in Paris from 1757. He became a print publisher around 1778 and remained active until at least 1802. From around 1789, he worked in association with his son Charles-François-Gabriel Le Vachez (1760-1841), engraver and print publisher active through the French Restoration. They signed works as "Le Vachez" or "Levachez fils," making individual attribution difficult.

Technical Details

Artist: Nicolas-François Le Vachez / Charles-François-Gabriel Le Vachez
Date: 1789
Medium: Engraving
Condition: Very good condition
Dimensions: 28.5 x 22 cm / 11¼ x 8½ in (sheet); 25 x 19 cm / 10 x 7½ in (visible)
Frame: 38 x 33 cm / 15 x 13 in, gilt wood (classic style), glass and acid-free mat
Origin: France

Part of the historic National Assembly portrait series documenting the French Revolution. References: British Museum, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Archives de France.