We greatly thank you for visiting our pages spending your valuable time with us! This beautiful portrait depicts a young girl holding a peach, playing with a cat and a monkey in a background very reminiscent of English gardens of the eighteenth century. She is clearly a member of an aristocratic family as she is wearing a fur of ermine and an elaborate dress with a gold and pearl-inset belt, typical of Ottoman fashion at the time. The little lady is charming in the young naturalness. The peach for a monkey in her hand, says to us that she is kind and to care for the pets. Her face is serene... Soft facial features and swelling of the lips, impart a portrait of tenderness and warmth. The Sotheby's auction attributed this painting to artist Andrea Soldi (1703-1771), but also did not exclude that this painting was painted by an artist Antoine de Favray (1706 1798) after a long and extensive consultations with experts from the Russian museum (Hermitage). Based on a deep analysis of the style of painting, color, etc. We are inclined that this painting nonetheless belongs to the brush of the French artist Antoine de Favray (1706 1798).

Oil painting on canvas, size: 92 cm x 75 cm (36 in x 29.52 in). Painting was professionally restored and ready to hang. Very Good condition, wear,  very well restored, cleaning, retouches about < 35% to minor areas (with preservation of the original paint layer), craquelure, relining of canvas. Please study good resolution images for the overall condition. In person actual painting may appear darker or brighter than in our pictures, strictly depending on sufficient light in your environment. Weight of app. 12 kg is going to measure 18 kg packed for shipment (for my record).

ATTENTION! Only canvas on a stretcher is sold! The frame is a gift (so frame in our listing have no value and is not covered by any warranty upon delivery). Please be aware of it and bid accordingly! But you can rest assured that no matter what, we will still try our best when packing item. If you want painting with a frame, the shipping cost will increase - this should be agreed prior payment.  Size in frame ca:  111 cm x 95 cm x 6 cm (43.70 in x 37.40 in x 2.36 in) frame is not original (19th century) but well suited. 

Chevalier Antoine de Favray (1706 1798) was a French painter.  He is known for his portraits of personalities of the Ottoman Empire, as well as paintings of Grand Masters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.  Besides knights, bishops, members of the Maltese aristocracy and other notable acquaintances, like the members of the Marchesi family with whom he was in close contact, were the subjects among his vast repertoire in portraiture. He often painted portraits of famous aristocrats, as well as members of their families in rich Turkish dress. From his brush are known at least two examples of portraits of Pope Benedict XIV, made after the original by Pierre Subleyras, and the equestrian one of King Carlos II of Spain. In 1762 Antoine de Favray moved to Constantinople like several other European artist of his time did too, where he spent nine years. During his stay in Constantinople he was painting numerous genre scenes of the everyday life in Turkey under Louis XVI and he also depicted locals and foreign dignitaries.

The works of this artist are presented in many famous museums of world and private collections: Louvre Museum (Paris, France), Augustinian Museum (Toulouse, France), Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia), Museum of the Order of St John (London, England), Art-Gallery of St. James (London, England), he Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), The Walters Art Museum (Baltimore), Norton Simon Museum (Pasadena, California), Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), Mdina Cathedral Museum (Malta), National Museum of Fine Arts (Valletta, Malta), Grandmaster's Palace (Malta), Pera Museum (Istanbul) and many other museums of the world.