Jean Philippe d'Orléans known as "le Chevalier d'Orléans" or - Lot 35

Jean Philippe d'Orléans known as "le Chevalier d'Orléans" or "le Grand Prieur d'Orléans (Paris 1702 -1748) Portrait of a man in a beret Three pencils on beige paper. Annotated upper left "Par le grand Prieur" and lower right "Dessiné par Monsieur le Grand Prieur" and verso "Le chevalier d'Orléans fils du régent Grand Prieur résidant au temple". (Uneven edges, insolate, central folds, stains and foxing). 53 x 44 cm The technique of this drawing is strongly reminiscent of that of Charles Coypel, who was first painter to Monseigneur le Duc d'Orléans, the Regent. Jean-Philippe d'Orléans was the natural son of Philippe d'Orléans (1674-1723), Regent of France during the minority of Louis XV, and the Countess d'Argenton. Born on August 28, 1702, he was baptized in 1706 at Chilly, and officially recognized by letters patent in July 1706. He was appointed Grand Prior of France of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in 1719. A patron of the arts, he embellished the hôtel prieural and engaged the services of Jean Raoux and then Nattier. It is possible that he trained as a draughtsman with the Coypel family, who were the official painters of the Orléans family, but there is no evidence of this.