Georg DESMAREES (Stockholm 1697 - Munich 1776)... Lot 23

Georg DESMAREES (Stockholm 1697 - Munich 1776) and his workshop Portrait of Maximilian III of Bavaria and his wife, Marie-Anne-Sophie of SaxonyPair of canvases, one on its original canvas (wax sizing on the back), the other retoiled Height: 225 cm Width: 139 cm Old restorations Maximilian III Joseph of Bavaria (1727-1777) was Elector of Bavaria of the Wittelsbach dynasty. He reigned from 1745, following the War of the Austrian Succession, until his death in 1777. On April 13, 1747, he married Marie Annede Saxe (1728-1797), daughter of King August III of Poland and Marie-Josèphe of Austria. Although this marriage strengthened the ties between Bavaria and Saxony, it was motivated more by dynastic considerations. However, the marriage failed to produce any descendants, putting an end to the youngest branch of the Wittelsbach family when the prince died in 1777, and was succeeded by Charles-Theodore, nephew of Maximilian III Joseph and Elector Palatine. Our portraits of Maximilian III Joseph of Bavaria and his wife are known from other versions or copies;A three-quarter portrait of the prince (canvas, 151 x 112 cm) sold at the Dorotheum in Vienna on April 13, 2011, no. 405. Another ( Desmarées et atelier; canvas 134 x 88 cm), sold in Cologne on November 17, 2007. A third sold at Sotheby's Paris on December 2, 2004, no. 85 (as "Portrait de l'électeur de Bavière,Karl Albrecht").only one portrait of Marie Anne Sophie de Saxe, Princess of Bavaria, is listed: it comes from theBaden-Baden sale "Die Sammlung der Markgrafen und Grossherzoge von Baden" Sotheby's, October 5-21, 1995, no. 2285.