Lot 113: Simon Jacques Rochard (French, 1788-1872) An Important portrait of Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of

Wellington (1769-1852), wearing scarlet uniform, the Badge and Sash of the Garter and the Badge of the Order of the Bath (artist's join) signed on the obverse and dated, Rochard Juin 1815, ormolu frame surmounted with laurel wreath decoration, the base with a hook (presumably for the Waterloo Medal), the reverse with Heckett Collection label no.552 oval, 83mm. (3 1/4in.) high Provenance: Professor Dr. Emerich Ullmann Collection, Auction at Galerie Fischer, Hotel National, Vienna, 31st August 1937, lot 291 (as by François Rochard) The Heckett Collection of Miniatures, Part II, Sotheby's, London, 11th July 1977, lot 169 Exhibited: Carnegie Institute, 1954, no.78 Literature: Dr. L. Grunstein, Die Sammlung Prof. Dr. Emerich Ullmann Catalogue Nationalbibliothek, Vienna, 1931, no. 574 The present lot was painted from a series of sketches taken in 'scarcely an hour' by Simon Jacques Rochard, on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo. A gifted child and accomplished young student, Rochard received his first commission from Napoleon aged barely twenty. The commission was to paint the Empress Josephine in oil and it was so successful that Napoleon gave the young artist his protection and exemption from military duties. Rochard continued his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and assisted the famous miniaturist Jean-Baptiste Augustin. By 1815, however, the Emperor's protection had lapsed and Rochard was summoned to report for military duty. Rochard's political stance was very much in favour of a French monarchy and he was understandably reluctant to give up a glittering career to fight for a cause he did not believe in. After a chance meeting with the renowned Dutch general, Herman Willem Daendels (1762-1818) a plan was formed to help Rochard escape conscription. Daendels had been so impressed by the portrait painted of himself by Rochard, that he agreed to disguise the young artist as his secretary for the journey to Brussels. After a terrifying journey where the carriage was stopped and searched many times they arrived in Brussels, where Rochard was introduced to the cosmopolitan court. Shortly after his arrival, Rochard was introduced to the Spanish Ambassador, General Count Don Alva. Alva, a friend of the Duke of Wellington, had been commanded by King Ferdinand VII of Spain to obtain a portrait of the Duke. Rochard was highly recommended to Alva by Daendels as the best artist for the commission. On the eve of the Battle of Waterloo and Ligny, Rochard was summoned to the Anglo-allied headquarters to paint the Duke. Rochard just had time, in between the Duke reading despatches and giving orders, to paint three rapid watercolour sketches of different poses. The sketches were then worked up into portrait miniatures for which Wellington paid 120 francs each. It is clear from the date on which some of the finished miniatures were given away that Rochard worked up the sketches into miniatures very quickly after the sitting with Wellington (see below). Rochard stayed on in Brussels a little longer, moving on to Spa in November of the same year, painting important commissions (for example, the Prince of Orange and his future wife, the Russian Anna Paulowna; the Duke of Richmond and Lady Caroline Lamb) before arriving in London. He returned to Brussels in 1846, and died in the same city in 1872. Other versions are in Stratfield Saye House (Duke of Wellington's Collection, two examples, no.s 182 and 183); the Royal Collection, Royal Library, Windsor Castle (originally given to Melé de Condé, apparently just before the battle); one sold at Sotheby's June 1979 (given by Wellington to Lady Georgiana Lennox, later Lady de Ros, on the 22nd June 1815, a few days after the battle) and sold at Sotheby's December 1978 (formerly in the Kruger Collection). The present lot is currently the only known version dated with both the month and the year. We would like to acknowledge the assistance of Mr Bruce Rochard in the compilation of this catalogue entry.