JEAN PETITOT THE YOUNGER (SWISS 1653-1699) Portrait miniature of an unknown nobleman from the court of Louis XIV, wearing a red lined blue cloak and tied jabot, full-bottomed brown wig Enamel Gold mount set into a later silver-gilt frame with brooch clasp reverse Oval 28mm (1 1/2) high Exhibited: Comerford Collection at the Irish Architectural Archives, Dublin, 2009 Literature: The Comerford Collection: Portrait Miniatures, (privately published, Dublin, 2009) pp 7, 22 (#51) This portrait was probably once mounted on top of a snuff box lid and has since been transformed into a brooch. It is often difficult to establish the identity of Petitot's sitters, as is the case here, because his sitters were also his friends, yet he often chose to represent them in a courtly manner, rather than portray their inner character. After the outbreak of the Civil War in 1643 he went to France, where he achieved great success, having previously served at the court of Charles I. He received constant patronage from Louis XIV and his entourage.