Philippe Lefèvre

About the Engraving

This fine engraving from circa 1798 depicts General Jean-Charles Pichegru (1761-1804), one of the most successful French military commanders during the Revolutionary Wars. The portrait shows Pichegru in military uniform, capturing the dignified bearing and determined expression that characterized this controversial figure in French Revolutionary history. The engraving was executed by Philippe Lefèvre after a painting by Hilaire Ledru and published by Potrelle in Paris.

The work exemplifies the portrait engraving tradition of the Revolutionary period, when images of military and political leaders were widely circulated to promote Republican ideals and celebrate military victories. The careful attention to uniform details, facial features, and the formal composition reflect the documentary and propagandistic purposes these portraits served during this turbulent period in French history.

About General Pichegru

Jean-Charles Pichegru (1761-1804) was one of the most successful French generals during the Revolutionary Wars, achieving remarkable victories in the Netherlands and along the Rhine. Rising from humble origins to become a general at age 32, Pichegru commanded the Army of the Rhine and Moselle and later the Army of the North, where he achieved his greatest triumphs including the conquest of the Dutch Republic in the winter of 1794-1795.

Despite his military successes, Pichegru's career took a dramatic turn when he became involved in royalist conspiracies against the Directory. Accused of treason, he was deported to French Guiana in 1797 but escaped and eventually returned to France. He was arrested again in 1804 during the Cadoudal Affair and died under mysterious circumstances in prison, officially ruled a suicide though many suspected murder.

About the Artists

Philippe Lefèvre was a French engraver active during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, known for his portrait engravings of notable figures from the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. He worked after paintings by various contemporary artists, translating their compositions into the engraved medium for wider distribution.

Hilaire Ledru (1769-1840) was a French painter who specialized in portraits and historical subjects during the Revolutionary and Empire periods. He created numerous portraits of military and political figures, which were often reproduced as engravings for popular circulation.

Technical Details

Engraver: Philippe Lefèvre
After: Hilaire Ledru (1769-1840)
Subject: General Jean-Charles Pichegru (1761-1804)
Date: c.1798
Medium: Engraving on paper
Publisher: Potrelle, Paris
Condition: Good condition
Dimensions: 28 x 18 cm / 11 x 7 in
Frame: 41.5 x 31 cm / 16¼ x 11¼ in. Gilt wood, very good condition
Origin: France

A significant historical portrait from the French Revolutionary Wars period.