Morgan bought this sheet in 1909 as a "school of Clouet" portrait of a "Lady of Quality," as it was described in the Wickert sale. At some point, the suggestion was made that the sitter might by Gabrielle d'Estrees (see III,65e). Morgan researcher Dr. Ruth Kraemer later connected it with a painted portrait attributed to Francois Quesnel depicting Catherine-Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues, the Marquise de Verneuil, who became a mistress of Henry IV after the death of Gabrielle d'Estrees. The painting was deaccessioned by the San Diego Museum of Art and sold in 1991. The sitter in the present portrait closely resembles the woman in the former San Diego canvas but is not an exact match, leaving some room to doubt the identification. She sports a similar hairstyle and standing collar, but her jewelry and garment differ in details.
Formerly attributed to School of Jean and François Clouet.
Numbered in graphite at upper right, "71"; on secondary support, in pen and brown ink at upper right, "29"; inscribed on verso in graphite at lower left, "ChW" (Charles Wickert, Lugt 2569-2570, 568); on verso of secondary support, in graphite at upper left, "Portrait of a Lady of Quality/by Clouet".
Clouet, Jean, -1541, School of, Formerly attributed to.
Clouet, François, -1572, School of, Formerly attributed to.
Bouchet de Bournonville, Henri de, -1668, former owner.
Bouchet de Villeflix, Jean-Jacques de, active 17th century, former owner.
Hodgkins, Edward M., former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.