Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-04-27
LOUISE DE La VALERIE.
Remarkable Story OF a Picture.
From the Art Review.

| amid all tne righteousness OF
the court of Louis XIV. there is no
more romantic story than that of Louise
de la VALERIE. The struggles between
her passion for the King and the in
ward appeals of virtue-her reign as
the monarch's favorite-her gentleness
and devotion, throwing their veil over
the errors of her life-until a. last con-
science triumphed, and in her breaking
away from the splendor of the court,
she took refuge in the gloom of con-
vent; the narration of all these has
made her name famous through the
world.
1t is strange that the only authentic
portrait of her is in America and on
the distant Pacific. 1t belongs to the
Right Rev. Dr. Kip, Bishop of Cali
fornia, and is in his collection at San
Francisco In our September number
we gave an account of another famous
picture belonging to him-Vanderlyn's
"Marius on the ruins of Carthage y
and, perhaps, our readers may like an
account of this portrait of La VALERIE, as
it is one of the most remarkable pic
lures in our country.
The only other portrait, said to be
hers, is in private collection at Ant
werp. 1t is double portrait, profess
ing to represent Louis XIV, and la
VALERIE, sitting side by side. 1t is,
however, an Indifferent painting, por-
traying her not at all in accordance
with the personal description of that
day, and is generally acknowledged to
be spurious portrait. The picture
belonging to Bishop Kip, on the con-
trary, exactly agrees with the accounts
of her personal appearance, giving in
contemporary works of biography.
The tradition with regard to this
portrait is, that it was painted by the
court painter, LIE Brun, for the private
collection of Louis XIV. It is GER
tainly in his style, and would bear COM
parison with any of his pictures of
the Louvre. 1t is, too, the only picture
by LIE Brun, of whose existence we
know in this country.
The Duchess is represented nearly
full length, in rich court dress. Her
lips and cheeks are evidently rouged.
1t is perfectly French face-great
sweetness, but no particular intellect.
In this respect it differs widely from
the pictures of the English beauties of
Charles II. reign, which we see at
Hampton Court. At her left hand
stands little blackamoor page, in gay
dress, with metal collar about his
neck, miss Pardoe says in her history,
"It was fashionable among the ladies
of Louis XIV's court to have black
amoor pages. " His left hand
holds a wreath of flowers to his side,
while his right hand is held up, and
his whole attitude shows astOnishment.
The Duchess has her left hand on his
head, while her right hand is dipping
little cloth in the marble basin of a
fountain. 1t is said that before she
entered the convent she had herself
taken thus, attempting to wash a black
amoor white, to show her own sense of
the difficulty of her repentance. 1t
was perfectly French idea. No Eng
hsh penitent would have dreamed of
such demonstration.
Her right hand is drawing the end OF
a crimson robe over the lions eyes.
May not this be intended to be allego
rical, to show her Triumph Love blind
ing the monarch-Cupid binding the
lion.
The whole treatment of the subject,
and the attitudes of these three figures,
are very beautiful. The slender, hexi-
BILE hands of the Duchess are exquis-
itely painted.
It may be matter of surprise that
such picture could be found in this
country, and it is only by accident that
it could be carried away from Europe
It's history is this: 1t was brought to
New York from Paris, at the close of
the last century by French woman
who got possession of it during the
confusion of the French revolution,
when SO many galleries were broken up
and scattered. She lived in obscurity
in Duane street, New York, and just be-
fore her death, about 40 years ago, she
sent for distinguished lawyer in the
city, on some legal business. There
was but little taste for art in this
country at that time, but he fortunate |
ly had some. Seeing the picture, and
suspecting its value he inquired of her
tshistory. She died shortly after, and
having no relatives, her effects were
sold by the public administrator. He
went to the sale, where he found two
poor artists, each one of the trio having
come supposing himself the sole pos
SCISSOR of the secret. They bid against
him for short time, when he went
over to them and said There is no
use in your making me pay high for
this picture, for am going to buy it,
cost what it will, and you have no in
terest in this woman's effects " So
they ceased, and 1T was struck off to
him for a very small sum.
He was connection of Bishop Kip.