The Marquis de Vandières, Abbé Jean-Bernard Le Blanc, Germain Soufflot, and Charles-Nicolas Cochin, the Younger

Pier Leone Ghezzi

ca. 1750 · Pen and brown ink, over traces of black chalk · Drawings and Prints

Made around 1750, this group portrait is the work of Italian caricaturist Ghezzi. Before embarking on the design of Saint Genevieve, the architect, Jacques Germain Soufflot, traveled to Rome in an entourage that included Abel-François Poisson de Vandières (1727–1781), later known as the marquis de Marigny. As the brother of the marquise de Pompadour, Marigny had been chosen to direct the administration of the king’s building and would go on to oversee all aspects of royal funding for arts and architecture. He is seen at left discussing an architectural plan with Soufflot, just to the right.

Artist

Pier Leone Ghezzi

Date

ca. 1750

Medium

Pen and brown ink, over traces of black chalk

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1972