Portrait of Anne Louis Goislard de Montsabert, Comte de Richbourg-le-Toureil1734 · Study 1970.31

Context from the museum

By positioning the figure close to the picture plane and engulfed in a swirl of drapery, Nicolas de Largillière created a remarkably informal likeness of the 26-year-old Goislard. This impression is enhanced by the sitter’s open shirt and the drift of wig powder that dusts the shoulders of his velvet doublet. Warm hues and thick brushstrokes reveal the artist’s study of earlier Flemish painters, notably Anthony van Dyck. Despite his youth and seeming nonchalance, Goislard was a figure of prominence. He may have commissioned this work to commemorate his appointment to the Parlement, or governing council, of France in 1732, or earning the title Lord of Montsabert the following year.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Portrait of Anne Louis Goislard de Montsabert, Comte de Richbourg-le-Toureil is 63.8 cm wide and 80.6 cm high, equivalent to approximately 25.1 × 31.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.79:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.51 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 21.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 118.1 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Portrait of Anne Louis Goislard de Montsabert, Comte de Richbourg-le-Toureil in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 63.8 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?